#responsiveDEN Responsive Design isn't just about design or technology

There's little doubt that forward-thinking news publishers big and small will be ramping up their mobile efforts in 2013.

But while that may be strategically straightforward, implementing an effective cross-media publishing strategy will continue to present significant technical, organisational and business challenges.

With the array of channels and devices increasing, it's probably not surprising that the RWD (Responsive Web Design) vs AWD (Adaptive Web Design) is a hot debate right now. Or that the title for the next Digital Editors Network meetup on 21 Februrary in the Media Factory in Preston is #responsiveDEN.

Sure, we'll be taking an indepth look at the various approaches to web design that intends to provide an optimal viewing experience — easy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling — across a wide range of devices from desktop computer monitors to mobile phones. But we'll also be thinking more laterally about what Responsive Design means, including the need for content to be in formats that enable innovation in presentation forms (across channels, devices), functions (customisation, curation, repurposed, conversation, etc ) and financing (costs savings, additional income). These obviously have implications not only on operational level, but also for the business.

To help us unpick the issues, the #responsiveDEN programme, which kicks off with lunch  at 12:45 and runs until 5pm, followed by a networking reception until 6:30, will include: 

Indepth case studies: "Implementing RWD at leading news publishers in the UK and US"

• MNA Digital development manager Mark Cadman and electronic editor Abigail Edge who led the team that charted the Express and Star and Shropshire Star’s route to responsive web design will be lifting the lid on that innovative project - and how their efforts have paid off.   
• [Update: 15/01/2013] Seattle Times managing editor for digital Erik Ulkin will be discussing their responsive-design election app - and lessons learned.
• [Update: 15/02/2013] Hayden Evans, creative director of the Trinity Mirror-owned digital agency Rippleffect, will be discussing TM's new adaptive design website. 

Panel Discussion:  "What now, what next? Designing and Managing Responsive Channels, Content, Communities and Commerce" with: 

• Aidan McGrath of Aetopia will talking about managing and monetising so-called "digital assets" (images, video, and pdf's etc.) including:  geotagging assets at point of capture to enable the aggregation and delivery of hyper-local content;  "project-based" content acquisition, curation and workflow; and  monetising assets through B2B and B2C channels.
• Carl Savage of Mobiletech will be giving a Scandanavian  perspective of responsive design. "I’ll be looking beyond the hype of responsive design at the challenges editors face in creating great reader experiences and how to monitise them," said Carl, who has been involved with Internet businesses since the mid-90’s and currently helps Nordic businesses such as MobileTech with their UK sales and marketing.  
• Grig Davidovitz is CEO of RGB Media and regular workshop presenter for the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers. Grig will be presenting a new concept: Journalistic Responsive Design. Using this methode, the journalistic experience is defragmented into its components: modules and article templates. The dynamic connection of the article templates is generating an ever-changing, engaging content experience perfectly fitted for each device and screen size. 
• Paul Egglestone of  Digital Coordinator at UCLan's School of Journalism & Digital Media will be demonstrating the award-winning  Interactive Newsprint project which is bringing together communities, technologists, researchers and professional journalists to develop and test a new way of telling stories using paper that connects to the internet.  

• Rick Waghon is CEO of Addiply. On the back of funding from the Technology Strategy Board to make Addiply's API Public this summer, Addiply ceo Rick Waghorn will outline the opportunities he foresees for mobile app developers to make their designs more responsive to in app advertising.

The discussions will be chaired by DEN co-founders Nick Turner (@nickincumbria), Head of Digital Content for the CN Group, and François Nel, Director of the Journalism Leaders Programme and the MADE (Media And Digital Enterprise) Project at UCLan.

You can register for one of the 50 spaces at #responsiveDEN  here. 

Since 2007, the Digital Editors Network has worked to link media innovators, whether they work inside, outside or alongside mainstream media organisations. You can connect with DEN by liking our Facebook page, joining our Linkedin group , or following us on Twitter @DENupdates or this blog .

If you'd like to contribute ideas, speak, host, sponsor or collaborate on a future DEN meetup or workshop, contact the convenors François Nel FPNel@uclan.ac.uk or
Nick Turner nick.turner@cumbrian-newspapers.co.uk.