The Jeff Beckham Weblog

A whopping 683 panel ideas are on the initial lineup of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Festival Panel Picker, which launched today.

This is the second year for the Panel Picker functionality, a tool that allows the web community to give feedback on the ideas they feel are most appropriate for the 2008 festival. Event director Hugh Forrest says they’re planning to have 128 panel sessions at the festival next spring, with at least 80 of those from ideas submitted via the Panel Picker.

Changes in this year’s panel-picking tool include:

• voting for as many (or as few) panels as you want - as opposed to the 10-panel limit last year
• search functionality
• comments
• panel ideas are ordered differently for each user

Anyone can vote and give feedback. Creating an account is quick, easy, and free.

While you’re over there, why don’t you check out the three panel ideas I submitted for next year’s event.

Voting is currently scheduled to close on September 21.