Welcome Wagon Tours¶

• Sunday at 11am
• Sunday at 2:00pm
• Monday morning at 8:15am

Join us for an informal introduction to Write the Docs in the Library/Astoria Room. We’ll review information about the conference specifically for first-timers and give everyone a chance to meet someone new. Come on a short tour of the venue so you’ll know where everything is and everything you can take part in.

Where can I get help?¶

Stop by the Welcome Wagon Help Desk, next to Registration, outside of the main stage on the second floor. A Write the Docs volunteer will be there to answer your questions.

Where is everything?¶

• The Registration desk is on the first floor in the Library/Astoria Room on Sunday and on the second floor, outside of the main stage, on Monday and Tuesday.
• The conference main stage and lightning talks are in Revolution Hall on the second floor.
• The unconference takes place on the first floor in the Library/Astoria Room.
• The Sponsor Expo is in the hallway outside of the main venue.
• Snacks and drinks are on the first floor in the Library/Astoria Room.
• The quiet room is on the second floor in the Sunset Room.

How should I get around?¶

• Portland is a very walk-able town.
• There are good public transportation, rideshare, and taxi options. Check out the Visiting Portland section of the Write the Docs website for more info.

How should I dress?¶

• Portland is a casual-dress town 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.
• If you are going on the Write the Docs hike on Saturday, be sure to bring appropriate hiking clothes and shoes. This time of year, the Pacific Northwest tends to be muddy or raining with occasional swaths of blue skies. Layering is usually the way to go.

What will I eat?¶

• Snacks, coffee, tea, and water are provided on conference days in the Library/Astoria Room. Bring a water bottle to make it easier for you to stay hydrated.
• Food is available in restaurants in and around Revolution Hall. Explore Portland’s amazing food scene. Invite someone you just met to join you! If you are invited to dinner, say yes! Making connections over dinner is a great way to get to know more people.

Where should I sit?¶

• The Revolution Hall main stage will have seating.
• There’s also seating in the balcony that you can access from the third floor.
• There are no reserved seats; feel free to sit anywhere.

What should I do during the conference talks?¶

• The time between conference talks is for meeting your colleagues or taking a break. During the talks, listen and take in as much as you can.
• If you have a question during a talk, make a note of it and use it as a conversation starter with the speaker.
• After a talk, feel free to tweet about it with the hashtag #writethedocs. Try not to “watch” the conference through Twitter and other social media, though. You are attending the conference, so live in it as much as you can!
• There is a lot of great information at this conference, but don’t worry if you miss something! All talks are recorded and videos will be published shortly after the conference, so you can review them later.

How do I take part in the Writing Day?¶

• Writing Day takes place in the conference venue on Sunday, the day before the conference starts. You can show up any time between 9am and 5pm. There are lots of ways to contribute, and here are the most common:
• Sign up to host a project before or during Writing Day. Be sure to include how to reach out to you. Here’s the 2022 Writing Day Project list that you can use as a guide.
• Help someone else with their writing project. Check out the list and connect with the project organizer, before or during Writing Day.

How do I take part in the unconference?¶

The Unconference is a set of informal sessions that take place all day Monday and Tuesday afternoon. Unconference talks focus on conversations and exchanges of ideas between participants. You can attend unconference sessions, or, if you have an idea for a session, you can lead one. Anyone can lead an unconference session, as long as they have a discussion idea and a willingness to encourage attendees to talk about it. Learn more about the Unconference by reading the Unconference Cheat Sheet.

Join an unconference session

• Starting Monday morning, check the Unconference sign-up in the Library/Astoria Room to see if there are any sessions you are interested in joining. New ones are added all the time, so check back periodically.
• At the time the session starts, go to the table number that corresponds to the one in the Unconference schedule.
• The session leader will begin when the group has gathered.

Lead an unconference session

• Look for an empty slot on the Unconference sign-up in the Library/Astoria Room, and add your Unconference topic. There will be a time and a table number for each slot.
• When it’s time for your Unconference session to begin, go to the Library/Astoria Room and go to the table number for your session.
• The previous unconference session will be in the same table. Let the attendees of the previous session know that their time is up, and your session will begin soon.
• Once a group has gathered at your table, start the conversation!
• When the Unconference leader for the next session arrives at the table, finish up your discussion to make way for the next one.

Tips for your unconference session

• Avoid doing roundtable introductions. You might run out of time to actually start the conversation!
• Start the session with a prompt: think of a question that you have about the topic of your unconference and ask it. The conversation typically works itself out after that. If there’s a lull, ask the group if anyone else has a question to ask.
• Be on the lookout for people who aren’t joining in and invite them to speak. Don’t insist, if they make it clear they want to listen only.

What are lightning talks, and should I give one?¶

• Lightning talks are 5-minute talks that happen after lunch each day. Lightning talks are a great way to practice public speaking, get people excited about your unconference session, and test interest in a conference proposal idea.
• Do you have an idea, want to talk about a new tool you are learning, or review a process? Then, yes! Sign up for a lightning talk. There will be a sign-up sheet at registration.
• If you are interested in giving a lightning talk, be prepared! There is a great guide here.

How do I take part in the Sponsor Expo?¶

• The Sponsor Expo is on Tuesday morning.
• Companies with will have a staffed table.
• Approach a table and introduce yourself!

How do I make the most out of this conference?¶

• 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. Find out who is attending the conference before you get there. Join the Write the Docs Slack, follow the Write the Docs on Twitter, and review the list of speakers.
• You don’t need to go to every talk. Look through the schedule of events before you arrive or while you are eating or taking a break. Figure out which talks you want to see the most. Spread out your time between talks, unconference sessions, networking, and breaks.
• Speaking of breaks–conferences are exhilarating, but can also be exhausting. Give your brain a break! Grab a quiet spot in the Sunset Room or take a quick walk. Play a board game on your lunch break. Come back invigorated.
• Starting Monday morning, check the unconference schedule in the Library/Astoria Room to see if there are any sessions you are interested in attending. New sessions are added all the time, so check back periodically.
• Eat! You can use the energy. There will be snacks in the Library/Astoria Room.
• Are you looking for a job or is there an opening at your company? Check out the job board and the Sponsor Expo.

Sample strategy for my first Write the Docs conference¶

• Join the Write the Docs Slack, and participate in the Welcome Wagon chat room to start making conference connections.
• Make a list of two people who are attending with some notes about them and questions for them. Either reach out by email before the conference to set up a meeting onsite or find them at the conference.
• Attend the Welcome Wagon tour.
• Join in the Saturday hike.
• Attend the Sunday writing day and volunteer to help on one of the projects being worked on.
• Check out the talk schedule in advance and make note of the talks you don’t want to miss.
• In the morning, or when you need a break during the day, head down to the Library/Astoria Room to check out the unconference schedule. Make note of any unconference talks you want to attend.
• Check out the lightning talks, and get excited about presenting one at next year’s conference.

Sample strategy for a second or subsequent Write the Docs conference¶

• Attend the Welcome Wagon events and share your conference knowledge. You might learn something new yourself!
• Reach out to some first-time attendees and tell them about your first conference.
• Attend the Sunday writing day with your own project. Ask for help!
• Check out the talk schedule in advance and make note of the talks you don’t want to miss.
• In the morning, or when you need a break during the day, head down to the Library/Astoria Room to check out the unconference schedule. Make note of any unconference talks you want to attend.
• Sign up for a lightning talk or lead an unconference session.

Say hello¶

We’d love to say hi when you’re at the conference. Come find us and ask any questions, or just chat about the conference!

• Christy
• Mo
• Alicia
• David