Enshittification-Resistant by Design: PWAs, Local-First Data, and the Open Web

What happens when we stop treating the default SaaS model as inevitable and start exploring the web at its most radical?

Kristoffer decided to build the most extreme example of an Enshittification-resistant app he could think of.
A fully open-source, static PWA, where files live on the user’s device, and are shared through email, text messages, social media or cloud services rather than stored as objects in an account-based database.

Not as a realistic alternative, but to see what new alternatives to the traditional SaaS model he could find by exploring the boundaries of on-line tools.

This is a practical, forward-looking talk about using the edges of the web as a laboratory for better product thinking. Not to replace SaaS wholesale, but to inspire new architectural and product choices that make mainstream software better.

Three takeaways
Exploring the edge of the web reveals ideas that can improve mainstream SaaS.
Local-first, portable, and installable software creates new options for trust, ownership, and product design.
Radical web architectures are valuable not just as alternatives, but as inspiration for better defaults.

Short summary
A forward-looking web talk about using radical open-web patterns—PWAs with Service Worker for offline capabilities, local-first data, file-based workflows, and open-source distribution—as a way to discover ideas that can improve traditional SaaS products.

aimed at people who have built or used SaaS and are tired of the enshittification
40 minutes
no technical knowledge required, but the talk will mention specific techniques like Service Workers, WebAppManifest, etc but the focus is on exploring alternative METHODS rather than showing code

Dangerous Myths We Tell About Tech

We often treat technology like something that happens to us rather than something we create. This passive mindset is rooted in a handful of myths that refuse to die, despite being fundamentally flawed.

In this session, Kristoffer dismantles several of the most pervasive assumptions in the industry, like for example:

Tech is Neutral: The idea that "tools are agnostic and only the way they are used matters" can be debunked in a single sentence.

Tech is Inevitable: The belief that if a technology can be built, it must be built, stripping us of our agency as creators, and without any way to regulate. In reality we regulate technology all the time, and everyone loves it.

The Tragedy of the Commons: Often cited as an immutable law of human nature, yet historically rooted in literal propaganda designed to discourage collective ownership.

Why it Matters:
These aren't just academic disagreements, they are the invisible constraints that limit our imagination. By identifying fallacies like these we can start building the next generation of solutions. It's an intentionally provocative talk, where well researched criticism is delivered in an entertaining and friendly way.

Takeaways:
Attendees will walk away with a shifted perspective on their daily work. You will learn how to spot "tech-determinism" in product roadmaps, and why it's important to advocate for truly empowering design.

This talk works both as a 40 minute or 60 minute session
No technical requirements
Primarily aimed at decision makers, but is of benefit to anyone who works in tech

The Three Trends that Drive All Digital Communications

Digital marketing and communication is old enough that we can identify some important trends. Kristoffer will explain why automation isn't a sure fire solution, what enshittification is, and what he's learned from 25 years of digital marketing.

no technical knowledge needed, 30 minutes, aimed at marketing departments

The one constant in tech is change - how to deal with it

An inspirational talk on how to deal with the rapid pace of change in technology.

During his 25 years in interactive media Kristoffer Yi Fredriksson has found himself on the incumbent side of disruption numerous times, but he has also been fortunate enough to have been part of teams that stumbled upon the future, years before anyone else. The lessons he learned might surprise you.

In this talk Kristoffer will talk about how we should deal with becoming obsolete.
How people in competitive gaming and Go have responded to AI. And how we can think about technology in a smart way that will help us see through the hype and cut to the core.

Enshittification-Resistant by Design: PWAs, Local-First Data, and the Open Web

What happens when we stop treating the default SaaS model as inevitable and start exploring the web at its most radical?

Kristoffer decided to build the most extreme example of an Enshittification-resistant app he could think of.
A fully open-source, static PWA, where files live on the user’s device, and are shared through email, text messages, social media or cloud services rather than stored as objects in an account-based database.

Not as a realistic alternative, but to see what new alternatives to the traditional SaaS model he could find by exploring the boundaries of on-line tools.

This is a practical, forward-looking talk about using the edges of the web as a laboratory for better product thinking. Not to replace SaaS wholesale, but to inspire new architectural and product choices that make mainstream software better.

Three takeaways
Exploring the edge of the web reveals ideas that can improve mainstream SaaS.
Local-first, portable, and installable software creates new options for trust, ownership, and product design.
Radical web architectures are valuable not just as alternatives, but as inspiration for better defaults.

Short summary
A forward-looking web talk about using radical open-web patterns—PWAs with Service Worker for offline capabilities, local-first data, file-based workflows, and open-source distribution—as a way to discover ideas that can improve traditional SaaS products.

aimed at people who have built or used SaaS and are tired of the enshittification
40 minutes
no technical knowledge required, but the talk will mention specific techniques like Service Workers, WebAppManifest, etc but the focus is on exploring alternative METHODS rather than showing code