Conference Tracks

This year’s technical program is organized into three tracks, outlined below. A submission topic might be relevant to more than one of these tracks, but each proposal should identify a primary track. We provide example topics for each track, but proposals need not be limited to these topics.

1. Data Analytics, Machine Learning, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Until recently, AI and data-analytics tools and algorithms were used primarily in expert systems and other specialized software solutions. Today, the frameworks, techniques, and tools in this area have become mainstream technology, used in e-commerce, auditing, and many other industry and government domains. In some cases, this technology drives decision making that is critical to give businesses a competitive edge. Enterprise solutions can also benefit from this technology to improve the user experience and agility of corporate software systems. Topics in this track may include

• Architecture design and analysis of data-analytics solutions
• Tools and frameworks for data analytics and machine learning
• Big-data technologies and infrastructure for large-scale data management (e.g., distributed and NoSQL databases) and processing (e.g., Hadoop, Storm, Spark)
• How the emerging wave of intelligent automation, such as robotic process automation and digital assistants, affects architects and systems
• Case studies of data analytics in industry or government

2. Microservices, Event-Driven, Serverless, Containerization, Internet of Things (IoT)

This track is about architecture styles for distributed systems. We want to explore the design considerations, benefits, and challenges involved in the use of any of these styles. We also encourage submissions about frameworks, patterns, tools, and techniques that are being successfully employed by architects and developers to create these systems. Topics may include case studies, frameworks, platforms, patterns, and techniques about

• Event-driven architectures and reactive systems
• Microservice architectures
• Command-Query Responsibility Segregation (CQRS) and Event Sourcing
• Serverless architecture, Function as a Service (FaaS), cloud-based databases
• API Gateway, API management
• Software containers and container orchestration
• Internet of Things, mobile apps, sensors and other IoT edge devices, device data management

3. Other Design and Development Techniques, Patterns, and Solutions

This track is wide open for talks about the many other interesting topics related to software architecture. Topics may include

• How architects can be effective in fast-moving, agile environments, and architecture within self-organizing teams including agile teams and open-source projects
• Architecting for DevOps and creating an efficient path to production (continuous integration, continuous delivery, and related topics), including testing, and software quality assurance
• Addressing quality attribute concerns such as performance, availability, usability, security, and interoperability
• Developing software architects, including coaching, mentoring, certification, professional training, and college education
• Management and minimization of technical debt
• Using architecture to understand risk and business value in legacy-system modernization and greenfield development
• Software architecture design, evaluation, documentation, conformance, and reconstruction
• Case studies sharing successful experiences on any of these topics

Session Types

When deciding what kind of a session to propose, choose a session type that you are comfortable presenting or facilitating and that also helps you to effectively share your wisdom, knowledge, and experience with your audience. You may submit proposals for a 30-minute talk as well as a 90-minute talk on the same topic. Please specify the exact time for your session in the Notes section.

• Experience Report—30-minute or 45-minute presentation that describes a first-hand experience and lessons learned. Generally a slide-based presentation that tells a story about something that you did.
• Technical Talk—30-minute or 45-minute lecture-based session, focused on teaching a specific topic based on your knowledge and expertise in that topic.
• Tutorial—90-minute session with attendees spending part of the time in hands-on learning activities such as writing code, applying a design technique, or practicing an architecture leadership activity. We have a few slots available for these presentations.
• DEV@SATURN Talk [TED-Style Presentation]—15-minute talk that concisely shares a single important technique, lesson, or experience. Some stories are short and don’t need a lot of slides to explain. We have a few slots available for these presentations.

As compensation for presenting a 15-, 30-, or 45-minute session at SATURN, you will receive 60% off the full-conference registration fee and 15% off the price of one course fee. This compensation applies to one speaker in a multiple-speaker talk.

As compensation for presenting a 90-minute session at SATURN, you will receive complimentary conference registration, 15% off the price of one course fee, and one free night at the conference hotel. This compensation applies to one speaker in a multiple-speaker talk.