NEDCamp 2024: Growing Drupal Expertise and Community in New England

Thriving on a mission to grow Drupal expertise and community, the New England DrupalCamp is returning on November 15-16, 2024, at Rhode Island College, Providence, RI. NEDCamp 2024 is a community-sharing and training event for Drupal enthusiasts and beginners alike. Founded by passionate Drupal enthusiasts hailing mostly from Rhode Island, starting in 2024, NEDCamp has created a legacy for itself.

"Every year the New England Drupal Camp strives to provide a high-quality event that brings Drupal learning, networking, and contribution to the region."

shared John Picozzi, organizer of NEDCamp 2024, with The DropTimes.

The camp's organizers share that this year, they are honoured to partner with Design4Drupal to bring a design-focused track to NEDCamp 2024. This year's event features several sessions dedicated to expanding professional knowledge and fostering community connections.

The Higher Education Summit on November 15 opens with a keynote by Ivan Stegic, CEO of TEN7, titled "Moving from Frustration to Clarity-Tenets of Leading a Team." In this session, Ivan will delve into essential leadership principles and management strategies, offering practical insights for higher education professionals aiming to strengthen team dynamics and enhance digital experiences within academic institutions. Attendees will also participate in breakout discussions designed to address current challenges and explore strategies for advancing digital transformation within higher education settings.

John Picozzi adds that special focus has been given to content around Drupal CMS in this year's NEDCamp.

"An underlying goal for this year was to have content and contributions focused on Drupal CMS. I'm happy to say we have a few of the folks working on Drupal CMS joining us both for contrib and sessions."

This year, the organizers expect a turnout of more than 100 attendees, slightly up from last year's range. The increase in the number of attendees is a testimony to the growing success of New England DrupalCamp in its eleventh year.

The main conference day on November 16 features a keynote by Karen McGrane and Jeff Eaton, titled "Buried In Blocks: How Modular CMS Page Builders Are Killing Your Team, and How to Save Them." This keynote will explore the complex issues modular CMS page builders can introduce to content and development teams. McGrane and Eaton will share strategies for overcoming these challenges, aiming to improve productivity and collaboration within teams working in Drupal environments.

The selection of sessions in NEDCamp is a democratic process. Each year, the submitted topics and synopsis are uploaded to a spreadsheet, and each organizer votes according to the information provided.

"Once we have all voted, we get on a call to discuss the voting and determine the final selection. We aim to have a good mix of speakers and trainers at the camp and have reserved spots for first-time speakers and underrepresented groups. "

notes John.

On Friday, November 15, NEDCamp 2024 offers a focused workshop lineup to enhance participants' Drupal and development skills. A full-day session, "Introduction to Agile and Git Workflows for Web Developers," led by April Sides from Red Hat, introduces Agile practices and Git workflows, equipping attendees with collaborative techniques that streamline project management. For newcomers to Drupal, Rod Martin of DrupalHelps presents "Absolute Beginner's Guide to Drupal," an entry-level training covering Drupal basics like content management and site architecture, ideal for anyone starting their Drupal journey.

The afternoon includes focused half-day workshops, such as "Figma for Developers: Bridging Design and Code," where Jennifer Smith from the American Graphics Institute explores how Figma can enhance design collaboration for Drupal projects. Michael Anello of DrupalEasy leads "Maximizing Visual Studio Code with DDEV for Drupal Developers," guiding participants through optimizing Visual Studio Code in conjunction with DDEV for efficient local development. Together, these training sessions offer an intensive day of learning, helping attendees enhance their skills and apply practical knowledge to their Drupal work.

Thanks to the recording sponsor EPAM and the dedication of Rick Hood and Stephen Cross, the sessions will all be recorded and later made available online.

Contribution Day at NEDCamp 2024, scheduled for the same day, invites Drupal enthusiasts of all skill levels to collaborate on Drupal projects. Open to developers, testers, UX designers, writers, and marketers, this day provides an inclusive platform to support Drupal's growth by contributing to code, testing, accessibility, documentation, and promotional resources.

"Each year at New England Drupal Camp, newcomers and longtime contributors alike are exposed to new and exciting ways to contribute to Drupal. We do our best to foster an atmosphere that empowers contributors to give back to Drupal in a friendly and collaborative environment, no matter their skill level. Long-time contribution trainer and mentor Leslie Glynn will be helping to organize and lead our contribution day. "

shares John.

This year, key focus areas include enhancing the Drupal CMS (also known as "Starshot") and supporting tools like Project Browser and Recipes. Attendees can help test and develop recipes, create documentation, and contribute to marketing materials for Drupal.

In addition to the knowledge-sharing sessions, the Community Social at NEDCamp 2024 offers attendees a relaxed evening to connect and network with fellow Drupal enthusiasts in a casual setting. Scheduled for Friday, November 15, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the social gathering will take place in a private room at Snookers, a lively venue where participants can enjoy food, drinks, and a game of billiards.

New England DrupalCamp 2024 is just two days away. Visit the event's official website to learn more about the event and its sessions.