Front End North: Don’t Forget to Have Fun

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Front End North in Sheffield, a one-track, one-day conference for developers and designers working on the web. The day offered loads of insights about the ever-evolving world of front-end development, digital design, UX strategy, and accessibility.

While the speakers came from diverse backgrounds and specialisms, some clear themes emerged — especially around accessibility, innovation, and the reminder that, even amid deadlines and deliverables, we can still enjoy the process of making great work.

Digital accessibility and inclusion are more important than ever

As digital products become more embedded in our everyday lives, inclusivity is more important than ever. Our websites, apps, and platforms now reach more diverse audiences in age, background, ability, and context.

Following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines is a great starting point, but true accessibility goes beyond compliance. Rules and checklists can’t anticipate every real-world interaction. A genuinely inclusive user experience considers context, emotion, and edge cases, which ultimately benefit everyone.

New tools are powerful but need context and deep understanding

Right now is a great time to be building things. Figma has transformed design and development collaboration. AI tools are opening up new creative workflows, even if we’re only beginning to understand their full impact. There are a lot of exciting new tools out there, but knowing when, and when not, to use them is key.

This explosion of tools has brought complexity too. Every month brings another framework or methodology, each promising to be better than the last. In an industry facing tighter budgets, faster timelines, and higher expectations, designers and developers are often forced to build the quickest, easiest solution. Not always the best one.

Templated designs, while efficient, can lead to cookie-cutter digital experiences that lack originality and connection. And that’s a missed opportunity.

Creative work should be fun

We talk a lot about user journeys and conversion goals, but sometimes forget the joy that creativity itself brings. As designers and developers, and as a creative agency, we’re not just about solving problems; we’re also about crafting experiences. The best work happens when we make space to experiment, surprise, and delight.

That might mean stepping outside the 12-column grid. It might mean designing with accessibility in mind and breaking the mould visually. It might mean creating something that makes the user smile, not just buy now, learn more or complete whatever CTA we’ve led them towards.

So, what part do agencies play in all this?

Events like Front End North are a timely reminder of our role as creative brand agencies, not just delivering for our clients, but leading them. At FutureKings, we’re already bridging strategy, UX, and brand activation across our Create and Activate programs, using branding as a tool at every business life stage. But there’s always room for us to take stock and ask:

• Where can we go further?
• Where are we playing it safe?
• How can we push for empathy, not just conversion?
• And how can we make things more human? More fun?

We want to keep designing inclusive experiences, challenging conventions, and ensuring that every project, service, product, or platform feels like something new and meaningful.

Thanks Front End North!

Massive thanks to all the organisers and speakers at Front End North for an inspiring day. I left full of ideas, inspiration and questions that we can explore further with the wider team. And it gave me an excuse to take full advantage of Sheffield’s excellent mountain bike trails the next day!

If you’re a brand looking to do something different, we’re always up for a chat. Get in touch, let’s build something better, together.

Speaker Photos from Front End North