Attendee Guide¶
The Attendee Guide provides conference information and gives strategies and tips for new (and experienced) attendees 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?¶
The Welcome Wagon Team is available to make your conference experience better! Stop by the Welcome Wagon table or feel free to ask questions in the #welcomewagon Slack channel. 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!
Location and Availability:
- Welcome Wagon table is located directly next to the Registration table
- Team will be available during all conference hours
Welcome Wagon Tours¶
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. While tours are designed to give first-time attendees all the information they need to feel comfortable at the conference, returning attendees often find them helpful as well. This gives everyone a chance to meet someone new. Bring any questions you may have!
- Sunday 11:50 AM
- Sunday 1:30 PM
- Sunday 4:30 PM
- Monday 8:15 AM
Sunday tours will meet on the 1st floor at the Welcome Wagon table. Monday tour meets on the 2nd floor at the Welcome Wagon table.
Conference Layout¶
Review our Venue page for details on the accessibility and layout of conference spaces.
Eating¶
- Snacks, coffee, tea, and water are provided on conference days in the Assembly Lounge on the 2nd floor.
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free options will be offered
- Ingredients will be listed
- Please email katie@writethedocs.org for other dietary requirements
- Bring a water bottle to make it easier for you to stay hydrated.
- There are many food and beverage options within .5 mile around the conference venue. Explore Portland’s amazing food scene on the Portland page.
- The Welcome Wagon team will organize lunch and dinner meetups for folks interested in eating with others. Visit the WW table during conference days to sign up.
Dress Code¶
- We don’t technically have one! Portland 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 is on average high 61°F (16°C), low of 44°F (6°C), rainy and partly sunny.
- If you are going on the Write the Docs hike on Saturday, bring appropriate hiking clothes and shoes. Review the Hike page for more information.
Driving and Parking¶
If you drive to the conference, note that the venue does not have parking on-site. You are able to park in the nearby neighborhood all day in street parking for free.
15th Ave. and higher street numbers allow for all-day street parking.
Hotels and Transportation¶
- The conference is located in central Southeast Portland. There are many hotel options within a 5-10 minute drive, some of these are walking distance from the venue. View our Portland page for recommended hotels.
- Portland is an accessible city and there are many transportation options available including bus, MAX light rail, streetcar, rideshare, and taxi. View our Portland for information.
Accessibility¶
We are committed to hosting a conference that is accessible to everyone. Visit our Accessibility section on the Venue page for more information.
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.
- Tweet about a talk when it’s complete with the hashtag #writethedocs.
Writing Day:¶
Writing Day is modeled after the concept of “sprints”. The main goal is to get interesting people in the same room, sharing their passion and goals and collaborating to find creative solutions to solve a problem or issue.
- Sign up or bring a project to lead.
- Attend and contribute to someone else’s project.
Unconference:¶
The Unconference consists 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.
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! Sign up at the registration table.
Sponsor Expo:¶
Sponsor Expo will include companies hiring and others sharing products.
- Approach a table and talk with sponsors.
Hike:¶
- The Hike is the unofficial beginning of the conference. If you arrive Saturday, join us for a walk and some fresh air!
Welcome Reception:¶
- Join us for our Sunday night welcoming party! Stop by and say hi to the Welcome Wagon Team. Meet other attendees or staff! Snacks and beverages provided by us.
Monday Conference Party:¶
This is our main social event of the conference and held outside of the main venue. It is a time to connect with other attendees outside of the scheduled programming. Last year, there was an epic sticker table.
- Come for an hour or stay the entire time!
FULL DETAILED SCHEDULE RELEASED CLOSER TO THE CONFERENCE.
Tips to Have a Great Conference¶
- Before the conference, join the Write the Docs Slack, and follow Write the Docs on LinkedIn and X, formerly known as Twitter.
- Attend a Welcome Wagon tour!
- Talk with people - attendees, volunteers, staff, and speakers. Don’t forget to use Eric Holscher’s Pac-Man Rule to leave room for others to join! 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.
- Starting Monday morning, check the Unconference schedule to discover if there are any sessions you are interested in attending. New sessions are added all the time, so check back periodically.
- Give yourself and your brain a break! Conferences are exhilarating, but can also be exhausting. Grab a quiet spot in the Sunset Room or take a quick walk.
- Eat! There will be snacks available but there are many restaurants close by.
- Job searching? Check out the job board and Sponsor Expo.
