Loads of interesting people, lots of great discussion but I just don’t have time to do a proper write up. Real life is taking up all my time this week and I figured I just didn’t have time to blog.

But then, as usual, the conversation continued on Twitter (#mbcamp). Jon Bounds just posted the following tweet

I tried for about 10 minutes to reply in 140 characters and just couldn’t.

Instead, I am posting my somewhat longer reply here.

@bounder I think the connection between design, content and the production thereof is key.

A content producer like you needs to know just enough about the technicalities to do your job well.

Brilliant graphic designers generally know enough about print technology to know what’s possible – if only so they can push the boundaries.

In the same way a book author tends to have an opinion on how their work should be presented.

So a Social Media Gun For Hire needs to stay sufficiently abreast of the productions side of things (web development) to know what’s possible.

There’s nothing better than a brilliant piece of writing that’s also designed beautifully and printed using special papers by a true craftsperson. It’s the combination that makes it magic.

I agree that web developers and social medians are different groups, different ‘scenes’. Each group needs to develop their own ways of sharing. You don’t want to listen to a talk on the merits of different javascript libraries. Web developers are not interested in reading discussing the Big City Plan.

But the intersection matters. The true magic happens when they we all get together and have a natter.