Welcome to Write the Docs Portland 2019!

Be prepared¶

Read the Welcome Wagon Guide. Our Welcome Wagon Guide is full of information on how to get the most out of the conference. There will also be a couple Welcome Wagon events that will help you learn more about the conference.
Review the schedule. The Schedule page has the latest and most complete information about the presentations. This is where we will also update any changes/cancellations if they occur.
Review the Code of Conduct. We have a wonderful community full of diverse and amazing people. We expect everyone to behave in a respectful manner at all conference events and online channels. Our Code of Conduct boils down to “Be excellent to each other”, but the full text is also available. Our cellphone numbers and email addresses are on that page if you ever need to contact us.

Plan a project for Writing Day. The Writing Day will be held on Sunday from 9am-5pm, and you can drop in at any time during the day. If you have a project you want to propose to others, you can pitch your topic during the welcome announcement that will be held at 9:30am. Check out the Writing Day page for a few suggested projects!
Plan a lightning talk. We’ll have lightning talks each day after lunch. These are 5 minute presentations and a lot of fun. They can be about anything you want. This is your chance to share something you are passionate about with the audience. Slides are not required.
Get ready for the Job Fair. Once again on Tuesday morning we’ll have a job fair where you can find your next documentarian friendly job. The job fair will be held in Lola’s Room from 9:40am to 11:40am.
Plan an unconference session. We’ll be running the Unconference all day Monday and on Tuesday afternoon. Want to chat with like-minded folks about a very specific thing? This is the place. We’ll have a sign-up board so you know what’s happening, and supplies to help you brainstorm.
Coffee, breakfast, and lunch are provided on all three days! Don’t worry about coffee before you come to the conference on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday. Coffee and breakfast are served at 8:15, and the conference starts at 9.

Riding the trains. Public transit is generally excellent in Portland, you can get from the airport downtown on the MAX red line. For more information, see our visiting page for all the details you need to get around.
Riding a bike. Portland has a bike share program that is having a promotion in May that includes free riding! Check it out while you’re in town.

Join us for a walk in the woods. If you’re planning to come out for the hike on Saturday at 1:45pm, make sure you reserve your spot . Note that we’ve changed the route a bit this year because of construction, and will be doing an “out and back” to Pittock Mansion.
Pre-register at the welcome reception. The meet-and-greet event will be held on Sunday from 5pm-8pm. You can pick up your badge and enjoy a couple of drinks on us. This is a great chance to meet your fellow documentarians before the conference starts.
Come to the social event on Monday night. This is a private party just for conference attendees. Plan to attend so you can get to know folks in the community. Once again we’ll be at Jackknife at 614 SW 11th Ave, on Monday evening from 7pm, with free snacks and drinks.

Help the global community attend virtually. Following the success of our pilot last year, we’ll be streaming all the talks during the conference. You can share the Live Streaming page with your fellow documentarians from around the world, and invite them to chat about the talks in the #live-streaming channel on Slack.
Slack with your fellow documentarians. Join our Slack to coordinate dinners, ask questions, or share notes with fellow conference attendees.
Use the hash tag #writethedocs. Twitter is a great way to communicate at events. If you arrive into Portland early and want to find others, use the hash tag #writethedocs . We can point you to something good.

Once again, we’re grateful to the companies and organizations that sponsor our events, some of them year after year:

We’re so excited to welcome you all to Portland in just a few days – see you there!

The Write the Docs team