Attendee Guide¶
The Attendee Guide provides conference information and gives strategies and tips for all attendees (new and experienced) to get plugged in and connect with others! We’ve gathered info here that will help you navigate the conference like a pro and make you feel more at home.
Where Can I Ask a Question?¶
Go to our Registration table! There will always be a member of our Welcome Wagon Team stationed here and available during all conference hours.
Whether you have a question about the schedule, where to eat, or how to connect with other attendees, they are your go-to for conference questions. If they don’t know the answer, they’ll find someone who does.
Welcome Wagon Tour¶
Join us for an introduction to Write the Docs. We’ll go on a short tour of the venue and review information about the conference. The tour is designed to give attendees the information they need to feel comfortable at the conference. This also gives everyone a chance to meet someone new. Bring any questions you may have.
Welcome Wagon Tour is scheduled for:
Monday at 8:45 (meet near Registration)
Conference Layout¶
Registration, Welcome Wagon, and Sponsors¶
Location: Foyer on ground floor
Speaker Talks¶
Location: Auditorium on ground floor
Unconference¶
Location: bUm Box on first floor
Catering¶
Location: Wintergarten in basement floor
Communal Rooms¶
Location: Awareness room, Prayer room, room for Presence and Movement are in basement floor
Parents Room¶
Location: Basement floor *ask registration staff for key
View our Venue page for details on how to get to bUm.
Food and Drinks¶
Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be provided in the morning and afternoon.
Bring a water bottle to refill.
The Cafeteria in the venue is open from 10:00-16:00 where you can purchase food and drink.
There are many food and beverage options within a 10-minute walk of the venue. View the Visiting Berlin page.
Dress Code¶
We don’t have one! Berlin is a casual-dress city and so is the Write the Docs conference.
You’ll be meeting business colleagues at this conference, though, so neat and comfortable are good dress guidelines.
Bring layers. Weather ranges from 8-15°C (46-59°F), evenings can be 5-8°C (41-46°F), possibility of rain.
Accessibility¶
We are committed to hosting a conference that is accessible to everyone. Below are the efforts we’re taking to provide an accessible conference. Please contact us on berlin@writethedocs.org if you have any other needs or questions.
In the Venue¶
All bUm rooms are accessible at ground level or by lift.
bUm has several communal rooms that we share with coworking users
Awareness Room is available for a silent room
Prayer Room (prayer rugs available upon request)
Room for Presence & Movement includes smaller sports equipment and meditation cushions.
Parents Room - please check in with Registration for a dedicated parents room.
Toilets
A wheelchair-accessible toilet is available.
There is a designated FLINTA* toilet, i.e. toilet for women, intersex, non-binary, trans, and agender people, and for people who are not cis-male.
All other toilets are available to all genders.
In the Auditorium¶
Live captioning provided for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or hearing impaired.
Reserved seating will be available for those who need to be close enough to view the live captioning, or have other specific needs. Please reach out to us so we can prioritize your seating.
Open seating - you’re welcome to sit anywhere in the main stage auditorium.
Lighting sensitivity: Please contact us and we will do our best to accommodate.
Dietary Requirements¶
We aim to provide snacks that meet varying dietary requirements including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Our catering menu and ingredients will be listed.
Service Animals¶
Service Animals are welcome at our conference venue.
Tips to Have a Great Conference¶
Join the Write the Docs Slack! This is the main way for attendees to stay connected, make plans, and ask questions during the conference. This requires you complete a sign up form so we highly encourage you sign up before the conference begins.
Attend the Welcome Wagon tour!
Engage with other attendees, volunteers, staff, and speakers.
Don’t forget to use Eric Holscher’s Pac-Man Rule to leave room for others to join!
Engage with the Snowball Rule. For every year you’ve attended, we encourage you to meet one new person. The most important part of this conference (and any conference) is the people you meet.
Set a goal for yourself to meet a few new people.
Review the Speaker Schedule and choose which talks you want to attend the most. Spread out your time between talks, unconference sessions, networking, and breaks.
Check the Unconference schedule regularly (this will be shared during the conference). People add new sessions all the time.
Give yourself and your brain a break! Conferences are exhilarating, but can also be exhausting. Grab a seat in the Wintergarten, visit one of the Communal Rooms for a break, or take a quick walk.
Eat! There will be snacks available inside the conference but there are many restaurants close by.
How Do I Participate in the Conference?¶
Speaker Talks:¶
Listen! Take notes of remarkable and thoughtful ideas.
After a talk, use something you heard as a conversation starter with your colleagues or even the speakers during a break.
Unconference:¶
The Unconference consists of attendee-driven sessions that provide the opportunity for anyone to lead, contribute, share ideas, and discuss ideas.
Join and attend an unconference session.
Sign up to lead a session at the schedule board.
Lightning Talks:¶
Lightning Talks are short talks, up to 5 minutes, where you share an idea, concept, or a bit of information that you find interesting.
Sign up to give a talk at the Registration table. Selections are announced on Monday and Tuesday before the lunch breaks.
Sponsor Expo:¶
Sponsor Expo will include companies sharing products and others hiring. They’ll be in the foyer both days.
Monday Conference Party:¶
This is our main social event of the conference. Drinks and snacks provided by us. It is a time to connect with other attendees outside of the scheduled programming. Come for an hour or stay the entire time!
Time: 19:00-21:00
Location: TBD
Did We Miss Anything?¶
Is there anything that would make your attendance possible or improve your experience? Please email us at berlin@writethedocs.org, and we’ll do what we can to provide it.
