by Marthe Rana | Aug 1, 2018 | APIs, Developer Community, Developer Marketing, Developer Outreach, Developer Programs News, Developer Relations, DevRelate, Education, Outreach, Social Media, Tools, Webinar |
Many developer relations teams can easily find a small group of developers that fit with their target personas and product/industry segments. It’s more of a challenge to find a wider range of developers who will also build value on top of your product or service. This webinar will cover how to find the largest developer community for a new product or service offering, or how to go beyond your existing community to find new developers to expand your reach.

Agenda:
- Where to look for developers
- Matching your product/service with specific types of developers
- Creating the right incentives for a win/win relationship
- Growing your developer community as your product or service grows
- Q&A
Presenter:
- David Intersimone, known to many as David I, is a passionate and innovative software industry veteran who extols and educates the world on developer tools, software development and software architectures. David I also shares his visions and insights as a pioneer in developer relations with program managers and directors giving workshops, webinars, guidance and advice on program creation and enhancement.
Dates / Times:
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
- 7am PDT (10am EDT)
- 1pm PDT (4pm EDT)
- 5pm PDT (8pm EDT)
Thursday, August 16, 2018
- 7am PDT (10am EDT)
- 10am PDT (1pm EDT)
Note: Since this webinar takes place on several days and at multiple times, please register for the date and time that works best for you:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/6991424298093761794
Who Should Attend?
- Managers & Directors of Developer Programs
- Technology & Developer Advocates
- Business Development Managers & Directors
- Product Marketing Managers & Directors
- Marketing Managers
- Product Managers
- Research Managers
- Corporate Communications Managers
- Heads of Developer Marketing
- ANYONE who deals with developers!
Register Now
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Note: Since this webinar takes place on several days and at multiple times, please register for the date and time that works best for you.
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/6991424298093761794
by David I | May 9, 2018 | Conference, Developer Relations, DevRelate, Education, Machine Learning |
When springtime arrives, developers and developer relation professionals know that it is major developer conference time in the US and around the world. Of course it all started with the annual Evans Data Developer Relations Conference, this year in Palo Alto California at the end of March. Most of you know that there are developer events and conferences throughout the year on every continent. At the same time, some of the most important and influential conference,s that impact developer programs and developers, are all scheduled during the months of May and June.

The Grand Slam of Springtime Developer Conferences
Facebook started things off on May 1 & 2 with their F8 conference in San Jose California. This week we have Microsoft Build 2018 in Seattle (from May 7 to 9) and Google IO 2018 in Mountain View (May 8 & 9) in the same week. It was fun to hear Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President of Operating Systems, tell developers during his day 2 keynote that he would end at 10am so that some developers could switch over to the Google IO opening keynote. Apple will complete the grand slam with WWDC 2018 in San Jose from June 4th to 9th.
But Wait, there’s even more for Developers this Spring
Ciscolive! happens in Orlando Florida June 10-14. You might think that Cisco is a networking and hardware company, but they also have a great developer program with DevNet. I attended last year’s event in Las Vegas and the DevNet Zone has a huge exhibit and workshop space and loads of developer sessions during the conference.
DocuSign’s Momentum developer conference takes place in San Francisco on June 20-21, just before the end of Spring. “If you thought replacing paper with eSignature was a win, get ready to go further. It’s time for the modern System of Agreement. Get the insights, inspiration, and networking to take advantage of all that’s possible, next, and new with DocuSign.”
So Much New Tech to Learn. So Little Time. Tons of Developer Fun!
So much development tech to digest in such a short period of time. Let’s summarize them all with: more AI, more cloud, more services, more devices, more IoT, compute at the edge, more serverless, more APIs, more tools and more fun for developers of all types, sizes and locations. I’ll try to cover more in coming DevRelate blog posts.
If you are having a developer conference that starts before the first day of Summer (in the Northern Hemisphere), send me an email with the details.

David Intersimone “David I”
Vice President of Developer Communities
Evans Data Corporation
davidi@evansdata.com
Blog: https://devnet.evansdata.org/
Skype: davidi99
Twitter: @davidi99
by David I | Feb 15, 2018 | Conference, Developer Community, Developer Marketing, Developer Outreach, Developer Relations, DevRelate, Education, Evans Data |
In an event unlike any other, developer relations experts from leading companies in the software, telecom and web markets will come together at the 14th Annual Evans Data Developer Relations Conference, March 26-27 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Palo Alto California, to discuss best practices and reveal the techniques behind their success!

New this year: Interactive Workshops
In addition to six keynote presenters and multiple breakout sessions, this year we have also scheduled four interactive workshops during the conference. Each conference attendee will choose to participate in two of the four workshops being held on Tuesday, March 27 at 9am and 10am.
These four workshops will provide accelerated learning for conference attendees to work together to:
- Build a marketing action plan that creates a sustainable and diverse developer foundation
- Craft a practitioner content marketing strategy
- Learn how to segment a developer population that will allow you to expand your reach
- Plan the launch of an online developer community that is sure to be a success
Workshop Sessions, Dates/Times, and Leaders
Here are the four workshop sessions, the date/time when they take place on Tuesday March 27th, and an abstract that describes the workshop in more detail. You can also click on the workshop leader’s name to see their biography.
Workshop: Sustainable Growth Marketing: Building a Developer Ecosystem that Lasts
Date/Time: Tuesday March 27 – Track 1 Room – 9:00am
Workshop Leader: Kristen Scheven, AngelHack – Chief Marketing Officer
Workshop Abstract
People throw around the term growth hacking often, but very rarely does it lead to community growth that lasts. During this workshop, we’ll build a marketing action plan that focuses on creating a sustainable and diverse developer foundation through content marketing, email drip campaigns, developer outreach and complementary innovation programs.
Workshop: The A to Z of Practitioner Content Marketing
Date/Time: Tuesday March 27 – Track 1 Room – 10:00am
Workshop Leaders: Yolanda Fintschenko, Ph.D., Fixate IO – Co-Founder and Chris Riley, Fixate IO – Co-Founder
Workshop Abstract
In this workshop, we will define practitioner content marketing and how it compares to public relations, demand gen, and influencer marketing. We will then build a practitioner content marketing strategy with workshop participants.
Marketing is moving from using a megaphone to creating targeted conversations. Developers do not respond well to traditional marketing, but they also do not want to be the last to know about features, functionality, and techniques. They look for vendors that can impart technical value with each piece of content they put out and ignore obvious product promotion pieces unless they include content that makes tool or technique adoption easier.
Having these targeted technical conversations requires a new strategy — practitioner content marketing. Practitioners who sit outside your organization but are willing to put their name on content for your organization is more credible, results in better quality leads, and increases your company’s share of voice in conversations important for your industry segment. Practitioner content market is a way to let the market, prospects, and customers know that you speak their language and can provide value beyond features and functionality.
Workshop: Benchmarking Developer Program Offerings and Quantifying User Satisfaction
Date/Time: Tuesday March 27 – Track 2 Room – 9:00am
Workshop Leader: Michael Rasalan, Evans Data – Director of Research
Workshop Abstract
To accurately target the developer market for your tools and services, segmentation is vital. This is commonly done by classifying developers by the types of applications they create. This typology is valuable and delivers results focused on developer targets, but sometimes you might want to look at developers by other segments.
This interactive workshop looks at how various ways to segment the developer population and provides a jumping off point for examining developers that will allow you to expand your reach.
Workshop: Building the Ideal Developer Community
Date/Time: Tuesday March 27 – Track 2 Room – 10:00am
Workshop Leader: Matt Schmidt, DZone – President
Workshop Abstract
A key component of a mature developer relations strategy is the effective use of community. How do developers on your team communicate and collaborate? What is the average amount of time it takes them to get answers? What if you could reduce the amount to time your team spends hunting down resources and resolving issues? A productive and engaged developer community can help your company reach its goals faster and cheaper, but it doesn’t happen overnight.
Attend our workshop for a hands-on planning workshop that walks attendees through the process of launching an online developer community that is sure to be a success.
Additional Conference Links

See you at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Palo Alto for this one of a kind conference that brings together developer ecosystem strategists, developer marketing, and developer relations professionals to meet, exchange ideas, forge partnerships, and share insights on developer ecosystem development.
by David I | Mar 29, 2017 | APIs, Developer Programs News, Developer Relations, Education, Internet of Things, Mobile Development, Outreach, Programming |
When is a developer conference more than just another vendor and developer conference? When the leading technologies including cloud, Internet of Things, devices, platforms, frameworks and architectures are combined with the ingenuity of developers in one location for a couple of days, the result is a creative explosion, a coming together of minds and machines. There are many developer conferences through the calendar year. There are numerous weekend hackathons, maker fairs, meetups and developer gatherings. Blooming this Spring in San Francisco on May 23 and 24, is DevNet Create: The IoT and cloud developer conference where applications meet infrastructure. I can only say one thing: Developer Relations Professionals and Developers – Be There or Be Trapezoidal!

DevNet Create: Where Applications meet People, Places, Things, the Cloud, and Business
From the conference page: “Join the brightest of the IoT, cloud and enterprise developers to bring clarity to the blurred lines between infrastructure and applications. Enterprise app developers are driving the future of business through cloud, IoT and new developer platforms and tools trends. These apps aren’t just for business—they affect everything—people, places, and things. They are built on a programmable infrastructure connected through APIs and DevOps practices, making the relationship between infrastructure and apps symbiotic.”

Two Tracks, lots of Hands-On to Create: IoT and User Experience, Cloud and DevOps
The call for papers closes this Thursday March 30, 2017. Submit talks at https://www.papercall.io/devnetcreate2017
Blog post announcing “Introducing DevNet Create Conference in May 2017” at http://blogs.cisco.com/cloud/introducing-devnet-create-conference-in-may-2017
Conference home page: https://www.devnetcreate.io/2017/
Where: Bespoke at Westfield San Francisco Centre
When: May 23 and 24, 2017
Where Apps Meet …
I love the apps focused themes that are included for each of the two tracks. They are all based on a statement that starts with “Where Apps Meet…”

Read Susie Wee’s (Cisco VP & CTO of DevNet Innovations. Experience/Technology/Teamwork/Developers) blog post: “Where apps meet …”
IoT and User Experience track:
- Where Apps meet Things
- Where Apps meet Places
- Where Apps meet People
- Where Apps meet Design & Architecture
Cloud and DevOps track:
- Where Apps meet Microservices
- Where Apps meet Deployment / SLAs / Scale / Expectations
- Where Apps meet Security
- Where Apps meet Analytics (Intelligence)

—
David Intersimone “David I”
Vice President of Developer Communities
Evans Data Corporation
davidi@evansdata.com
Blog: https://www.devrelate.com/blog/
Skype: davidi99
Twitter: @davidi99
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidi99/
by David I | Feb 14, 2017 | Cloud Computing, Developer Outreach, Developer Relations, DevRelate, Education, Machine Learning, Outreach |
I was in San Francisco yesterday at the Galvanize Coding Camp and Workspace Location. Conjoined with the Galvanize location is the IBM Bluemix Garage. After drivng to the city and parking, I walked to the SoMa (South of Market Street) location and entered a wonderfully collaborative space full of engaged, excited and focused developers and students. There are many of these coding camp and workspace destinations all over the world. I’ve visited several schools and workspaces in my travels, but this one also included IBM’s Bluemix Garage. The combination created a Garage, Loft, and Hands on Lab all in one location. I went to the board room where I was part of a round table discussion lead by Willie Tejada, IBM’s Chief Developer Advocate.

The topic for the discussion was “How Cognitive Intelligence and Cloud are Reshaping App Development”. My thoughts during the discussion will have to wait for another blog post. For me, it was visiting the combination of the Galvanize location and the IBM Bluemix Garage. It was a marriage of learning, programming, design thinking, Watson cognitive development, and more. I didn’t want to leave.
As I drove back down the coastal Highway 1 to the Evans Data office in Santa Cruz I had time to look at the Pacific Ocean and think about the combination and what it can mean to Developer Relations Programs around the world. Combining the educational environment, the startup vibe, the real world tools, and the spirit of adventure into a workspace conducive to real breakthroughs in application development. In one location you can combine students, professionals and executives learning Data Science, Data Engineering, Web Development, Cloud Native Essentials and Development, Data Science for Executives, and more. You’ll find meetups, happy hours, tech talks, and mentors.

Quoting from the Galvanize web site: “Traditionally, industry and education have existed in separate worlds. At Galvanize, we’re bridging this longstanding gap by bringing industry partners, ambitious students, world-class education, and passionate founders under one roof.”
If you can’t afford to have your own dedicated popup loft, hands on lab or garage, find a partner in your town (and in cities with companies and developers you want to reach out to) that has a Coding Camp and/or co-location development space. You’ll find that combining their business with your developer outreach will create an intoxicating, practical, beneficial, efficient and fruitful environment for students, start ups and enterprises.

Here are a few links to additional information for the Galvanize and IBM BlueMix Garage location that I visited at 44 Tehama Street.
It was great to be able to spend a little time with Willie who is one of our keynote presenters at the 13th Annual Evans Data Developer Relations Conference. Willie Tejada‘s keynote (Monday, March 27 at 1:15pm) is titled “Developer Advocacy in the Cognitive Era”. The keynote description is “Developers are the primary catalyst for today’s business disruption, defining the future of technology and transformation. IBM’s mission is to help developers realize their potential and identify the tools for success in three key areas: AI & Cognitive, Cloud Infrastructure, Data Security & Privacy. To achieve leadership in this space will mean harnessing the power of cognitive to redefine the way we solve today’s business, world and human challenges.”

It’s not too late to register for DRC 2017. You’ll also hear Guy Kawasaki’s keynote “The Art of Evangelism” on Monday morning.
Does your Developer Relations Program Hook Up with Code Camp and Workspace Locations?
Send me an email if your developer relations program partners with code camps and/or workspace locations. I’d like to hear how you combine your outreach and leverage the entrepreneurial environment for the benefit of both companies.
by David I | Feb 13, 2017 | Conference, Developer Community, Developer Outreach, Developer Relations, DevRelate, Education |
Conferences are, and have always been, a mainstay of developer outreach and marketing. Developers like conferences, especially those with a lot of meaty technical sessions by the engineers that build the technology. Key benefits for attending developer conferences include the technical sessions by developers who know great tips and techniques. Developers attending conferences also mention the social aspects of a conference: the networking, social interaction, and discussion with other developers. Sometimes developers need to send their manager a “Conference Approval Letter”.
Most conferences are put on by vendors and concentrate on that vendor’s technology, platform, service, device, etc. You might think that conferences would only be put on by very large companies with breadth and depth to provide a full schedule of keynotes and sessions. Smaller companies might put on conferences that are shorter and with less sessions. Some companies will partner with a non-competing company to put on a conference. Other companies will piggy-back a conference on a larger industry event. In any case, developers attend conferences, and most attend more than two per year.
One of the conference to-do items that I’ve used in the past is to provide potential attendees with a template letter they can customize to convince their manager to allow them to attend the conference. The letter includes information about the event, what attendees will learn, what best practices and ideas will be brought back, what contacts will be made, and how attending will help their company, employees, products and customers.
As an example of what a request to attend a conference template letter might look like, I have created a sample email/letter/memo for our upcoming 13th Annual Evans Data Developer Relations Conference.

Template Email/Letter/Memo Requesting Approval to Attend a Conference
Here is a draft email/letter/memo you can use to request approval to attend the 13th Annual Evans Data Developer Relations Conference, March 27 & 28, 2017 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Palo Alto, California
Subject: Request for Authorization to attend the 13th Annual Evans Data Developer Relations Conference
I would like your approval for me to attend the 13th Annual Evans Data Developer Relations Conference, March 27 & 28, 2017 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Palo Alto, California. The conference features two days of keynotes and sessions by leading executives and directors of Developer Relations and Advocacy programs for top technology companies in the world. This is a conference unlike any other, developer relations experts from leading companies in the software, telecom and web markets will come together to discuss best practices and reveal the techniques behind their success!
At the conference I will learn developer outreach best practices, tips & advice, and other aspects of running a world class developer relations program from the business side (program ROI, the connection between developer programs and company revenue, budgeting for/costs of developer programs, how to get an organization’s commitment of internal resources, etc.) to the marketing side (techniques for recruitment, awareness tactics, community loyalty building programs, legal/privacy and global privacy considerations, conducting a privacy audit, internationalizing a US-based developer program, etc.), and much more.
During the conference I will have ample opportunity to network with top developer relations program managers, ask specific questions that can help our developer outreach plans and learn “The Art of Evangelism” from Guy Kawasaki, the chief evangelist of Canva, board of trustees member of the Wikimedia Foundation, a brand ambassador for Mercedes Benz USA, executive fellow of the Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley) and former chief evangelist of Apple.
Who will be attend:
- VPs, CTOs, and CEOs
- Business Development Managers & Directors
- Managers & Directors of Developer Programs
- Product Marketing Managers & Directors
- Marketing Managers
- Technology & Developer Evangelists
- Products Managers
- Research Managers
- Corporate Communications Managers
- Heads of Developer Marketing
If you approve my attendance before December 31, 2016 I can take advantage of the super early bird pricing and save our company $400. If you approve before January 31, 2017 I can save $300 on the full conference price of $1295.
Thank you in advance for considering this opportunity for me to attend this unique conference. Please let me know if you need additional information about the conference. You can find additional information, conference schedule, speaker list and companies planning to attend on the conference web site at https://evansdata.com/drc/2017/
I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
PS: There is also a pre-conference Developer Relations Boot Camp that can additionally prepare me for the two day conference. The Evans Data Corporation’s Developer Relations Boot Camp provides a solid foundation on which I can build or enhance our developer program. Concentrated sessions in this one-day instructional program provide the insight and actionable information I can use to build our brand and establish strong relationships with our developer community.
The combination of an experienced boot camp faculty and Evans Data developer research will guide:
- Careful consideration regarding the reasons why developers seek out and participate in developer programs
- The most effective means of reaching out to them
- How you can leverage social media to greatest effect.
At the end of the day I will leave with a certificate of completion as well as the knowledge and confidence to create, enhance and run a world class developer program.
Other “need to convince your boss?” example conference template letters
Here are a few additional examples of template letters that conferences have provided for their target attendees.
Do you have developer conference manager approval template letters?
If you have your own template manager approval letters that you provide to your program members, send me an email with the link or text.

David Intersimone “David I”
Vice President of Developer Communities
Evans Data Corporation
davidi@evansdata.com
Blog: https://www.devrelate.com/blog/
Skype: davidi99
Twitter: @davidi99
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidi99/