Impressions from 2022 Dev Conferences
Reviews and reflections on in-person conference experiences throughout 2022, after two years of virtual events.
Before the Events
Conference organizers must communicate key details to attendees including schedules, venues, talks, tickets, and pre/post-event information. Speakers should submit outlines and slides in advance so organizers can verify alignment with codes of conduct and accessibility standards, checking "font, colors, and animations to confirm that your slides will see correctly during the event."
Regular attendees typically receive emails with conference schedules, venue details, sponsor information, speaker bios, ticket sales statistics, and newsletters with relevant articles.
The Trips
Traveling to conferences across different countries provides valuable networking opportunities alongside tourism. Practical travel tips: pack minimally to accommodate conference swag, complete online check-ins beforehand, avoid checking bags to save airport time, enroll in airline loyalty programs, and book hotels where speakers are staying to maximize networking in lobbies.
Being from South America
As an Argentine developer, I want to emphasize the privilege of attending international conferences with speakers and attendees from multiple countries. Such events rarely occur in Buenos Aires, making international attendance particularly valuable for meeting community figures and building global connections.
Speakers
One-on-one conversations with speakers happen naturally throughout conferences. Speaker dinners offer reduced-attendance networking opportunities. Observing experienced speakers present provides learning opportunities through their unique styles and techniques. Post-event socializing allows continued speaker interaction.
Venues
Different venue types — from offices to large conference halls — serve various purposes. I prefer single-track conferences to avoid fragmenting audiences, though multi-track formats accommodate different expertise levels and larger crowds. Venues should balance capacity with intimate networking spaces and facilitate standing-based meals during breaks.
Specific venues from 2022: San Francisco's Jamstack Conf in a raw ballroom with outdoor rooftop access, Atlanta's Render ATL on a campus with three stages, and Miami's React Miami held within the larger eMerge Americas conference.
Attendees
Conferences create valuable opportunities to learn attendees' backgrounds, expertise levels, job roles, and technology preferences. Local conferences like CityJS Brazil featured engaged attendees who actively participated and thanked speakers. Attendee feedback helps speakers improve their presentations.
Talks
Effective talks present specific topics interactively rather than overloading audiences with data. Presenters should focus on delivery elements including language, gestures, slide design, structure, code examples, and humor. I encourage potential speakers to overcome impostor syndrome — "the community is rooting for you" and everyone has valuable ideas.
Q&A sessions work better during coffee breaks than on stage, preserving time for additional talks. Feedback mechanisms — like Kansas City Developer Conference's post-talk surveys with prize incentives — help speakers improve. Hybrid events and live-streams expand accessibility beyond physical attendees.
During the Events
Attendees should plan schedules around preferred talks, especially with multiple tracks. Visiting sponsor booths, networking with other attendees, and collecting swag complete the experience. Organizers deserve recognition for their often-volunteer efforts.
After Parties and Satellite Events
Post-conference events facilitate comfortable networking through socializing, meals, and beverages. Memorable events from 2022: React Miami's live music party, Jamstack Conf's live coding with adoptable puppies, Remix Conf's karaoke and board games, and Render ATL's nightly options ranging from sushi to music clubs. React Alicante uniquely required boat transport to the venue.
Final Words
I'm looking forward to more international conference attendance in 2023, and I'm enthusiastic about in-person events as learning and community-building opportunities. If you have any questions about conferences or want to share your own experiences, feel free to reach out!