Pacific Northwest PHP (PNWPHP) Conference
10 - 12 Sep 2015 at Impact Hub Seattle

Extremely useful feedback, jmichaelward. Thanks.

> Disappointed that an hour-long commercial for AWS was chosen as the post-lunch keynote.

That's not exactly what I intended, and your feedback is noted. I was going for why cloud computing is awesome and important in general, but it didn't quite turn out the way I was hoping either. Still, I hope you were able to to learn something from it.

Wow what an amazing conference! So impressed by the team that put on this event for the first time!

Regarding the lounge area on the side of the main talk room:
I totally see where people are coming from with not wanting speakers to be separate from the attendees, and that this area may have seemed exclusive. On the other hand, it was not actually a speaker exclusive area, and as someone with physical challenges I found it to be overwhelmingly awesome to have a place where I could camp out comfortably without having to miss out on talks or on being social.

Big thank you to everyone who made this event so much fun: including organizers, speakers, and attendees who came and said hi - all of which made this a really enjoyable experience I will be remembering fondly for a long time to come!

Had a wonderful time at PWNPHP! Looking froward to next year already!

I agree with the ANONYMOUS feedback about AWS I realize that they are a sponsor but I feel like this should have been a optional talk about AWS for those that where interested in using the service not a keynote.

Also jmichaelward's point about the speakers corner is true. Coming from someone that knew no one when I showed up Friday morning. That area felt very off limits. Cal talked about a community and stepping into it, and I agree but not all are comfortable doing so. Some need to be invited, or at least feel like they're not butting into a private area. A lot of these speakers become a face we aspire to fallow and learn from. It would be way more inviting if they where going to others talks and engaging with new comers. I have never seen a community grow by looking in all of the time. We must look out and invite others to join us.

With all that said I really enjoyed the event and I'm proud to have been part of the very first PNWPHP Con. I plan to make this a tradition and want to thank Tessa, Jeremy and all the volunteers and speakers for putting on a great convention.

Amazing show. The organizers and staff have set the bar high for other first time shows. Well run, well paced, and great hallway tracks.

This was a very enjoyable conference, and I commend all of the volunteers, sponsors, and speakers who helped make it possible. There was a lot to love in this first year effort:

- There were lots of interesting sessions to attend
- Communication was well done - I always knew where I needed to be next
- The fact that it sold out meant that there were lots of new people to meet
- Lunch both days and dinner at the afterparty was delicious
- The venue itself was nice
- WiFi generally worked well
- Reasonable start times (some conferences start earlier than 9, but I thought 9 was perfect)
- Having the opportunity to try my hand at presenting in the UnCon room
- JeoPHPardy and improv slide presentations at the afterparty were delightful
- Jeremy Lindblom's opening and closing the event with a song (truly one-of-a-kind!)


In contrast, there are a couple of things that I think you could consider to help make next year even better:

- Resolving projector issues beforehand (something I know the organizers are well aware of)
- Shortening the overall length of the day (9 1/2 and 10 hour days are a lot to digest; it's possible a shorter lunch and one less session each day could help)
- If possible, tables and outlets in all rooms (helpful for taking notes and keeping laptops charged)


Lastly, this isn't a criticism that's necessarily specific to PNWPHP, but I do think it speaks to newcomers' interests and abilities to feel like they're welcome and belong and can become a part of the community: I thought the alcove where speakers were sitting behind the job boards and UnCon signage gave the conference an unintended sense of exclusivity. Conference speakers talk a lot about the importance of community, getting involved, continued learning, and getting to know as many people as possible, but when they all sit together in a corner they may come off as unapproachable to attendees. Of course, I don't discount the fact that people want to sit with their friends and people they know, but it's something to be aware of and think about when it could be reflected on the event itself.

Overall, I had a terrific time, and I hope that you'll consider hosting this event again next year (and that I'll be able to attend!).

Disappointed that an hour-long commercial for AWS was chosen as the post-lunch keynote.