Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conferences expose attendees to a whole host of intriguing and often motivational insights, but not everybody is able to attend these events in person.

Fortunately, accessing the best of TED is easier than ever, as several of the most influential TED talks are available online. These presentations are especially valuable for web developers, as they provide an array of insights into a rapidly changing industry. Highlighted below are a few especially impressive UX-based TED talks that will broaden your horizons and get you motivated to accomplish great things.

John Maeda: Designing for Simplicity

The former president of the Rhode Island School of Design, John Maeda is passionate about the strengthening the connection between design and technology. In Designing for Simplicity, he admits that, as humans, we are often drawn to complexity, even when it is not in our best interest. His talk is very informative, but also very entertaining, as he uses anecdotes about Cheetos and the Paris Hilton reality show The Simple Life to prove that simplicity is all about minimizing pain and maximizing enjoyment.

Kevin Kelly: The Next 5,000 Days of the Web

Believe it or not, the World Wide Web as we know it is less than 5,000 days old. In his landmark TED talk, Kevin Kelly highlights how much has been accomplished thus far, and how much potential there is for the 5,000 days that lie ahead. He believes that, by 2040, computer processing ability will far exceed all of humanity’s processing power. Based on this assumption, Kelly makes a number of predictions about how people will use the Web in the future, and how different types of media will continue to converge, providing users with an experience more seamless than we can possibly imagine.

Renny Gleeson: 404, The Story of a Page Not Found

In 404, The Story of a Page Not Found, Renny Gleeson explores the concept of the frustrating 404 page, and how it actually is the culmination of multiple failures. He also highlights the universal nature of the 404 page, as well as unique ways in which it can actually be harnessed to enhance end user engagement.

Tim Berners-Lee: The Next Web

Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web in 1989, and now, he has big ideas about where the Web can go in the future. InThe Next Web, he explains the inspiration behind his masterpiece, as well as his belief that people will continue to use the web to solve society’s biggest problems. The engaging TED talk features several intriguing points about the role linked data plays in our lives now and in the future.

Jeff Bezos: The Electricity Metaphor for the Web’s Future

Over a decade has passed, but people are still talking about the dot.com bust. According to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, this catastrophe was more like the electric industry’s early days than a modern version of the Gold Rush. After all, there really is no happy ending for the Gold Rush; conversely, the dot.com bubble was just the start for the World Wide Web. In addition to expanding on this electricity metaphor, he also highlights an interesting anecdote from the 2000 Super Bowl.

TED talks are some of the most engaging and informative resources available for today’s web developers. Explore the world of TED for yourself and get ready to learn from the best and the brightest in the fields of user experience and web design.Take what you’ve learned from these experts and apply it using our free guide “A Designer’s Guide to Web Performance.”