It comes as no great surprise to hear that the WaQ is no more.

And in change management, I’ve learned that after the phases of grief – shock, denial, anger, negotiation and acceptance – comes a transitional stage.

To grieve well, you have to celebrate. Yes, yes.

We must honor the past: what has been, and what will be no more. We must mark the passage.

I have no information on what will happen at the next Interface… sorry.

But I’m convinced that in a few years’ time, I’ll look back on this event with nostalgia, as the first step in a new generation of enthusiasts.

So, to ease my transition, I’ve chosen to honor the past and look back on the history of WaQ, and the moments we shared together.

Because, looking back, I have to admit: I’ve been through a lot.

It’s my story.

But to get ready for the first edition of Interface – Québec organized by Capitale numérique, which has risen from the ashes, why not – as a digital community – share our highlights?

Well, I’ve written a long text, but a bullet list or just a memory is cool too.

TLDR :

• 2012 – I attend my 1st WaQ
• 2013 – Bell’s “little” contest
• 2014 – Designer and speaker
• 2015 – You have to give back what you get
• 2016 – Back on the boards
• 2017 – If we have nothing to say… we help!
• 2018 – Art direction and more volunteering
• 2019 – A little more design. And a more… polarizing conference.
• 2020 – We’re going to take a break, I think…
• 2021 – Online workshop + outdoor viewing
• 2022 – I’ve skipped my turn.
• 2023 – I took my vacation at the same time…
• 2024 – Design theme animation
• 2025 – WaQ partner… Scuse, Interface25. And, Rendez-Vous Numérique… not the week…
• 20XX – Nostalgia in the making

2012 – I attend my 1st WaQ

A long time ago, but… I vaguely remember seeing a keynote about skeuomorphism, mobile first, and how the Microsoft phone with its flat design approach was going to beat the iPhone. Heh, you can’t always be right.

2013 – Bell’s “little” contest

Ah… I’m not in the photo, but I won the Bell contest with Marc Boivin, Stéphanie Salman and Jérôme Lacroix.

2014 – Designer and lecturer

That year, I created the WaQ website. I went digging through the internet archives – it aged pretty well, all things considered. And what’s more… it was responsive, please!”

And that was also the year Éric Letarte booked me as a speaker without my knowledge. So even back then, we had a little something going for us in terms of dynamics.

My talk? How the web draws inspiration from other print media to structure itself.

2015 – You have to give back what you get

That year, I understood why organizers and volunteers looked exhausted after three days. My routine: manage the keynote guests, animate the rooms, release the keynotes until late… very late. Then start again at 6:30 the next morning.

2016 – Back on stage

This time, a conference entitled “Creation? From the heart, the guts and the balls”. In it, I introduced designers from disciplines other than web and digital, and showed how some digital personalities adopt similar approaches.

And an EPIC room activation! With a garden party theme, I set up a lemonade stand, a petanque court and clotheslines with socks and bobbins.

2017 – If we have nothing to say… we help!

Website design, art direction, volunteering. That year, the photographer couldn’t find me. So here’s a gnome at the event.

2018 – Art direction and more volunteer work

A little website, a little promo, but mostly… a lot of icons. Well, I was going for a trip of illustrations made with a triangle grid. Pixel art in triangles isn’t easy. I apologize again to the motion designer…

Also, a second EPIC sponsor activation! Under the Western theme, we set up a Nerf shooting gallery, with 3D-printed objects, vibration sensors and a points system.

2019 – A little more design. And a slightly more… polarizing conference.

That year, I had the urge to explore. And to get designers out of their echo chambers. I wanted to tell people that “UX is not more important than UI”. I wanted everyone to come down from their pedestals, to avoid it becoming a war of titles comparing ketchup bottles.

The result? I got comments and testimonials from people who felt exactly the same as I did. 5 out of 5! And I also got 0 out of 5, with people saying I didn’t know what I was talking about.

Today… UX designers claim that “CX is not more important than UX”. So when you live by fire, you die by fire.

Ah, and a good activation too! A huge backdrop made with markers and filled with post-it notes. I must say, I was a big fan of design sprints back then. I still am, though.

2020 – I think we’ll take a break…

That year, there was a program launch. Then… a pandemic. That’s right.

2021 – Workshop online + outdoor viewing

We have no choice, it’s going to be remote. So Éric Letarte and I submitted a workshop on “How to design your workshops”. It was so popular that we got not one, but two full houses. It was also the start of a mini deconfinement. So we took the opportunity to go and watch the whole thing at the Agora du Port de Québec.

2022 – I skipped my turn.

It’s the only time I’ve ever skipped a WaQ. Or almost… I had an excuse… I was working outside that week…

2023 – I took my vacation at the same time…

That time, it was my fault. Yes, I took my vacation at the same time to go whale-watching on the North Shore. I was even supposed to host a room… But I was still able to say hello at the closing 5 à 7. That’s something.

2024 – Animation of the design theme

Because it’s rude to let speakers introduce themselves, I did it for them all three days. Good news for me: I mostly introduced designers! Oh, and yes, the only photo of me is from behind.

2025 – Partner at WaQ… Scuse, Interface25. And, Rendez-Vous Numérique… not the week…

&friends is a partner in the revival of the two main events as well as Capital Numérique.

We were present at the first meeting (we ran a workshop there) to think about how to save this event which, because of politics, was stuck in political and legal limbo.

Letting the whole thing die was not an option.

So we rolled up our sleeves and came up with solutions.

It all happened on August 21, at the library.

Followed by a poutine, because… emotions like that, you can eat.

P.S. I took the opportunity to give a little talk at the Rendez-vous numérique. Don’t worry, I went through the same selection process as everyone else.

20XX – Nostalgia in the making

I have no idea what my involvement will be in the coming years, but it will be as a member of the Quebec community. Speaker, partner, volunteer, participant… We’ll see, and we’ll see you there.