As designers, we are constantly seeking new, innovative ways to communicate the messages of our clients. This May, our design team traveled to OFFF 2008 in Lisbon, Portugal to soak up some inspiration, see what other designers across the world are creating, and to bring that knowledge back to Killswitch to spark new ideas for future creations.

OFFF is a 3-day design festival exploring the latest ideas in a new visual culture, covering everything from graphic design and visual communication to motion graphics and sonic landscapes to advanced forms of interaction, via physical space or digital space. Rather than thinking in terms of the post-apocalyptic world where machines have taken over (think Terminator or Blade Runner) as we did back in the '80s, the new post-digital creation culture considers what we can create next in this diverse, digital spectrum. Now that we have the technology in place and have studied and explored and created, the wi-fi artists of today are re-examining our relationship with technology to push and blur boundaries and to explore new digital avenues. Artists are turning to programming, programmers are turning to music, and musicians are turning to art. As these areas overlap, new breakthroughs emerge. The same code used to generate colors and patterns can be used to create artwork for the walls of your house. Personal data can be calculated and mapped to create a visual diary of communication patterns. A computer's capture and storing of real-time movement can be used to recreate those movements in a simulated virtual environment. These explorations are opening up brand new avenues of communication and interaction, and have exciting implications for the future of our digital culture.

More than 2500 people attended OFFF this year, and the attendees included designers, artists, musicians, and developers from all over the world. Held at the LX Factory, an immense industrial space tucked away amongst brightly-tiled row-houses and cobblestone streets in the Alcantara area of Lisbon, the event boasted floor to ceiling presentation screens, interactive art installations, and a wealth of DJ entertainment. Every presentation in this talented line-up was inspiring, and each one explored a different area of visual communication. Karlssonwilker made us laugh with all of their crazy design experiences, Alex Trochut amazed us with his illustrative typography, Joshua Davis fascinated us with his dynamically generated works of art, Craig Swann motivated us with his playful outlook on the world, Andreas Müller mesmorized us with his swimming type and fluid forms, Fakepilot caught our attention with his Daft Punk-style intro, Hellohikimori engaged us with their colorful, immersive websites, Hi-Res! amused us with their rejection of the expected, and Fallon entertained us with their simple yet highly original advertisements, proving that a big budget is less powerful than a big idea.

The diverse and groundbreaking ideas from speakers at this event prove that what we think of now as "new media" is just the tip of the iceberg. Today's designers and artists defy classification, reject the limitations of technology, and develop their own standards. OFFF was a truly memorable event and one that moves all of us forward.