About

Explore DDD is not your ordinary event.

If the word “conference” conjures up visions of boring lectures, hall seating, and dry chicken for lunch, you’re in for a whole new experience.

Imagine an entire area of the conference floor dedicated to domain model exploration, where drawing and refining domain models are not only expected but encouraged. Get ready to cover the walls with stickies, sketch drawings on whiteboards, and make new friends as you problem-solve together. And lunch—you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the menu.

Sound too good to be true? Welcome to Explore DDD, an interactive exploration of domain modeling created specifically for senior developers, team leads, software architects, DDD explorers, avid enthusiasts, and industry experts.

Our conference mission is simple and straightforward:

Get ready to be inspired, challenged, and an active contributor to your conference experience. Get ready for Explore DDD 2019!

What's different about the Explore DDD Conference?

The mission of Explore DDD is to encourage excellence, sharing, and innovation within the DDD community, and build awareness of DDD amongst the broader software development community. World-class talks and workshops from domain-driven design practitioners and industry experts? Of course! But Explore DDD takes the notion/idea of conference engagement and exploration to a whole new level. An entire area of the conference floor is dedicated to domain model exploration with others, where drawing and refining domain models is both expected and encouraged. We'll provide everything you need to cover walls with stickies, whiteboards with drawings, and make new friends and problem-solve together.

Practice your domain modeling techniques and skills collaboratively, and learn new and innovative techniques from each other while engaging with DDD experts. No other conference in the USA offers this opportunity to observe domain modeling in action, and practice and learn together in this way.

Explore DDD is a smaller conference with a strong community feel in an intimate, incredible, inspiring venue. The Pinnacle Club of the Grand Hyatt Denver provides uninterrupted majestic views of the Rocky Mountains, downtown Denver, and city surrounds from the 38th floor.

Is this conference for me?

Are you a Senior Developer, team lead, or Software Architect with several years of experience building software systems for complex domains? Are you a DDD explorer, enthusiast, or expert? If so, then this conference is for you.

Gain deep insights on your software system questions from your peers and industry experts. You could solve your nagging software problems during the conference with help from other attendees. What would that be worth to you and your company?

Who is Behind the Conference?

Explore DDD is being organized by Paul Rayner, leading a team of awesome Virtual Genius LLC staff and community volunteers.

What programming languages should I know?

The conference does not focus on any particular programming language or technology. Many sessions might have code in them, but you’ll be able to follow even if you don’t know the language that is used. If knowledge of a particular programming language is required for, say, participation in a pre-conference workshop, this will be indicated in the workshop description.

Will the talks be recorded?

Yes. We’ll be recording all talks and publishing them online after the conference. Pre-conference workshops and unconference types of activities will not be recorded.

What does this conference cost?

Regular conference tickets will sell for $1095 and pre-conference workshop tickets for $1495. The first 50 conference tickets will be available at the early bird pricing of $995 ($100 discount) per ticket. A limited number of $100 discount early bird tickets ($1395 per ticket) will also be available for each pre-conference workshop. If you miss out on early bird pricing, we are also offering a group discount of $100 off the regular ticket price for 5 or more tickets - conference, workshop, or a combination - when purchased as part of the same registration order.

What about accommodation?

For the best conference experience, even if you are local to Denver, you should stay at the Grand Hyatt Denver conference hotel. This enables you to fully participate in the conference experience, without having to deal with the stress of peak-hour traffic or downtown parking! We have reserved a block of rooms with a discounted conference room rate at the Grand Hyatt Denver, and we highly recommend booking your hotel room as early as possible, since hotel room availability at this time of year in Denver for such a good price is extremely limited.

What is included in the ticket prices?

The conference ticket gives you access to the main event conference sessions. You'll be able to attend all the talks. To attend a pre-conference workshop, you'll need a separate workshop ticket. All tickets include lunch and beverages. Not included in the ticket price are accommodation, travel, social events, dinners, or any other costs, unless specifically indicated.

Can I speak at the conference?

We are looking for interesting talks that will enlighten and empower our community. Submit your talk to our CFP process and we'll get in contact with you.

What is the conference Code of Conduct?

We aim to provide a safe learning experience for all conference participants, and thus expect them to be kind and respectful towards others. We embrace diversity of human experience and the strength it brings to our communities and relationships.

We care deeply about making Explore DDD a safe and welcoming space for everyone. In light of this, all attendees, speakers, sponsors and volunteers at our conference are required to agree with the following code of conduct. Organizers will model and reinforce this code throughout the event. We are expecting cooperation from all participants to help ensuring a safe environment for everybody.

If you have any questions, or are harassed in any way, please notify a conference staff member. All reports are confidential.

The Quick Version

Our conference is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, or religion (or lack thereof). We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any conference venue, including talks, workshops, parties, Twitter and other online media. Conference participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the conference without a refund at the discretion of the conference organizers.

The Less Quick Version

Harassment includes offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. Sponsors are also subject to the anti-harassment policy. In particular, sponsors should not use sexualized images, activities, or other material. Booth staff (including volunteers) should not use sexualized clothing/uniforms/costumes, or otherwise create a sexualized environment.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the conference organisers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the conference with no refund.

If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of conference staff immediately. Conference staff can be identified as they'll be wearing branded t-shirts.

Conference staff will be happy to help participants contact hotel/venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the conference. We value your attendance. We expect participants to follow these rules at conference and workshop venues and conference-related social events. Thank you for helping make this a welcoming, friendly event for all!

Adapted from original, with thanks to DDD Europe.

What about diversity?

We are seeking to source and support speakers from underrepresented groups as much as possible in order to provide a richly diverse lineup of perspectives and backgrounds.

Accessibility

Our venue provides full wheelchair accessibility, as required by USA federal and Colorado state law. Access to the conference venue is via elevator. If you have special requirements, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you.