EvolveDrupal Guide

About the Host, Evolving Web

Evolving Web is the agency partner that empowers organizations to adapt to the ever-changing digital landscape. We’re a team of 90+ technologists, storytellers and creatives who believe that a dynamic and adaptable digital presence is the most powerful way for clients to create meaningful connections. Through strategy, technology, design, marketing, and training, we set stories in motion through digital platforms designed for growth. 

Evolving Web was founded in 2007 by two passionate Drupalists on the ideals that define the open source ethos: transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Then and now, we believe in the power of open source to drive innovation and growth. Our team regularly contributes to the open source community through code, documentation, sponsorship, strategic initiatives, and events like EvolveDrupal. 

About EvolveDrupal

EvolveDrupal is an energizing one-day summit that fosters open source innovation, digital transformation, and knowledge sharing. It features a mix of technical and non-technical talks to drive change and best practices across the tech, UX, and digital communities. 

For participants, EvolveDrupal is an opportunity to gain insights from industry experts, take inspiration from real-life projects, and spark powerful new connections in a welcoming environment. Organizations and individuals can also gain valuable exposure through speaking and sponsorship opportunities.

Evolving Web launched EvolveDrupal in May 2023, welcoming 150+ participants from various backgrounds to the debut summit in Montreal. The event was a breath of fresh air, allowing professionals to connect in-person with their community for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on this success, we hosted further summits in Toronto and Ottawa in the same year. EvolveDrupal Atlanta on April 12, 2024 will be the summit’s first appearance in the U.S. 

“We were privileged to immerse ourselves in this groundbreaking event and be part of the vibrant Drupal community.”
– The team at Monarq

About EvolveDrupal Atlanta 2024

When: 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. EST on Friday, April 12, 2024
Where: Atlanta Tech Village, 3423 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30305, U.S.
Audience: designers, developers, strategists, managers, marketers, content editors, website owners, business leaders, etc.
Capacity: ~200 seats
Tickets: interested in joining us, register on eventbrite here.

Tracks

EvolveDrupal Atlanta features four tracks to give participants a tailored experience that suits their interests and backgrounds. 

Higher Education Track

Investigate the unique challenges and opportunities faced by universities, colleges, and research institutions, and the organizations who work with them. Explore cutting-edge technological applications in higher education and ways to enhance academic research, teaching, and institutional management.

EvolveUX+ Track

An exclusive afternoon program designed for designers, strategists, product specialists, and other creatives. Featuring talks from renowned UX experts, this track offers a unique opportunity to fuel creativity, increase efficiency, and connect with like-minded professionals by featuring talks from renowned UX experts.

“It was a treasure trove of UX wisdom… Big thanks to the amazing speakers and organizers for making this experience unforgettable. Can't wait to apply what I've learned. Count me in for the next one!”
– Milan Nayak, UX Designer, EvolveDrupal participant

Technical Track

Dive into talks for web developers, data analysts, and site builders at every skill level. Explore essential themes like theme simplification, layout building, no-code solutions for decoupled projects, and front-end development. This track is a gateway to advancing technical expertise and innovation while networking with industry peers.

Non-Technical Track

Elevate your organization's digital presence with the latest in AI, accessibility, digital strategy, content, and marketing. These high-value talks are designed to inspire and inform whether you're refining your approach or exploring new digital horizons. It is the perfect track for those ready to lead their organizations into the future.

Pre-Summit Training

Before EvolveDrupal Atlanta, we'll be hosting three days of exclusive in-person Drupal training. All trainees get free admission to EvolveDrupal.

Drupal Site Building + Architecture

Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 09:00 am - 04:00 pm
This course will give you a thorough understanding of the Drupal site building process. You'll get hands-on experience creating an information architecture for Drupal, and implementing advanced features with Drupal core and contributed modules. Sign up here!

Drupal Module Development

Wednesday, April 10, 2024, 09:00 am - 4:00 pm
Learn the process for developing a module with standard components like blocks, permissions, forms, and pages. Familiarize yourself with the concepts behind module development, including how to use Object Oriented Programming for Drupal, and essential Drupal developer tools. Gain hands-on experience developing modules from scratch. Sign up here!

Drupal Theming with SDC + TailwindCSS

Thursday, April 11, 2024, 09:00 am - 4:00 pm
This is a practical training where you will gain the knowledge and confidence you need to customize the look and feel of your website by creating a new theme based on TailwindCSS while creating new components with SDC. Sign up here!

How to Prepare for EvolveDrupal

1. Book transportation and accommodation well in advance. Make sure the summit venue (Atlanta Tech Village) is easily accessible from your lodging
2. Check the up-to-date agenda, which will be published on evolvedrupal.com
3. Create a schedule for yourself. Some sessions run in parallel and may have limited seating, so choose what to attend ahead of time and arrive at the room early
4. Research the attendees, speakers, and sponsors to identify who you’d like to connect with at the summit
5. Join the EvolveDrupal Slack channel for updates from the organizers and to chat with participants before the summit
6. Let people know you’re attending. Post on social media, use the hashtags #EvolveDrupal and tag Evolving Web so we can help boost your post. Consider inviting clients and business connections
7. Make time for networking. Arrive from 8 a.m. and stay until the end of the summit until 7 - 8 p.m 
8. Join the pre-summit meet up on Thursday evening on March 21. Contact Maya to get an inclusive invitation
9. Stay tuned for updates about potential extra networking opportunities, such as pre/post-summit dinners
10. Get excited!

How to Follow Up After the Summit

1. Review what you learned. Clean up and file your notes from the talks so you can easily refer back to them and apply what you learned
2. Consider how to share your new knowledge with your team and integrate it into your projects and workflows.
3. Share your experience with your community. Post photos, thoughts, and takeaways to social media (remember to tag Evolving Web so we can like it!)
4. Follow up with new connections. Add them on LinkedIn. Send a message to thank them, continue a discussion, or share something useful
5. Send your feedback to Evolving Web. We’ll send out an email or survey to collect feedback so we can make our next summit even better

“Had an incredible time at EvolveDrupal this Tuesday! A day filled with insights, learning, and inspiring conversations. Massive shoutout to the Evolving Web team for curating this dynamite event – brilliant speakers, vibrant community vibes, and an open space for genius ideas.”
– Astha Tiwari, Senior Business Analyst at UOttawa IT