Tech Conferences Are Worth It. The Sessions Are Not.
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An opinion piece argues that tech conferences remain valuable but their core format—the talk sessions—has become the weakest part of the experience. The author, a longtime conference speaker, proposes a fictional redesigned conference program built around short talks, assigned lunches, office hours, retraction tracks, disagreement panels, and a corridor-priced ticket that costs more than a talks-only pass. The piece argues that hallway conversations and human connection are the irreplaceable value now that content is free and searchable, while volunteer burnout threatens the survival of community-run events.
Table of contents
The ProgramSome of This Exists. Almost None of It Is the Main Event.Other Industries Solved This Forty Years AgoNow Name Three SessionsThe Bill, and Who Pays ItThe Volunteers Are Running OutMy Badge Would Say155 Impressions