Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are underrepresented in the U.S. technology industry, and nowhere is that more visible than at technology conferences. We want to do something about it. October 13-16, 2014, we are hosting Developers @ Dreamforce ’14, one of the largest tech conferences in the world, and we want to see more diversity of all kinds on stage. Our Call for Presentations (CFP) for the Developer Track is open and we want everyone in the community to submit session ideas. For those of you who are new to speaking or have never attended Dreamforce before, never fear – as long as you are passionate and knowledgeable you’ll be fine! We love first time speakers and provide a great deal of support as you get ready for the Dreamforce stage.
What’s in it for you?
This is a chance to tell your story: to share your experience, share your advice, and help others in the developer community. The submission form is short – just tell us who you are and what you want to talk about. If you are selected, you’ll get a free pass to Dreamforce, you’ll make an impact on the Salesforce Developer community, and you can add another notch to your resume belt. We’ll be with you the whole way: from grooming the abstract and drafting the session plan to finalizing the slides and doing dry runs. Then, the big day will arrive and you will be AWESOME!
What session topics are most popular?
What are you passionate about? That’s the best topic! Some ideas to get you thinking:
- Code: Developers love code and want to see best practices, optimizations, solutions to tricky integrations, and learn about other tips from your development experience.
- Career: Have you started a company, gone independent as a consultant, recently switched roles? Share your story and the steps you took to get there.
- Diversity: Are you a member of a historically underrepresented group or did you enter technology at a later age? Share your story as a way to raise visibility and inspire others.
- Vision: Mobile, internet of things, augmented reality, wearable tech – what do you think will have the most impact on businesses? Share your vision, show what you have built in this space, and take the developer community into the future.
I’ve never submitted a CFP, can you help?
Watch the recording of our May 28, 2014 Diversity in Tech: Why You Should Speak at Dreamforce 2014 Google Hangout to hear more about the submission process and to hear sage advice from those who’ve been through it: Salesforce MVP Geraldine Gray, Force.com MVP Carolina Ruiz Media, Force.com MVP Angela Mahoney, and me.
Also, check out the We Are All Awesome website’s content about presenting, including How to write a compelling proposal. As always, the Developer Evangelism team is here to help. Tweet at us, or email me directly at mscotton@salesforce.com if you have questions or want to brainstorm session ideas.
Change the ratio!
Do it now! The Call for Presentations is open until June 6, 2014, and we want YOU to be part of Developers @ Dreamforce ’14.