There are a good number of amazing bars serving awesome drinks by wonderful people in beautiful surroundings. Also, there are a lot of “home bartenders” who invest a lot of time and money in reproducing or improving the bar experience for their house guests. Lastly, there is a huge online community concerning bars, bartending, cocktails, spirits, etc. What can we learn from the hospitality business in regards to technology, usability and service design?

Jörg Meyer, owner of a small bar in Hamburg, Le Lion, talks about the service design of his bar, the bartender scene, and how to make people feel welcome. Matthias Bauer, hacker, tells the other side’s story, how to make drinks and things, and draws analogies to information technology and user experience on the internet.

Let’s go into the wild. When algorithms turn us transparent and controllable through predictability, perhaps we have to become more unpredictable. And what better way of becoming unpredictable than to get intoxicated in style? We will take a look at two areas that, at first glance, do not seem to be closely related – namely, the hospitality business and information technology. There will be plenty of anecdotes, insights – and drinks.