Top 10 Innovation Sessions to Attend at DrupalCon Barcelona 2024

DrupalCon Barcelona is almost here, and for me, it’s only topped by Christmas when it comes to excitement. I used to work at the Drupal Association and during that time, I channeled much of my energy into promoting and fostering innovation for Drupal. 

Each year ahead of DrupalCon, I curate a selection of talks I’m excited to attend. For the Barcelona edition, I’ve chosen to focus on sessions centered around innovation to keep up with my passion.

Below are the top 10 sessions (with dates, times and links!) I recommend attending and my thoughts on why. 

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Tuesday, Sept. 24

1. AI with Drupal - Using LLM technology is easy, but how do you actually build useful applications?

Speaker: Christoph Breidert (breidert)

AI is a hot topic on everyone's mind, and Drupal is uniquely positioned to harness its potential. However, the key is to know how and when to integrate AI effectively. I'm eager to attend Christoph's session to explore specific use cases and gain insights into practical implementations.

Tuesday, 9/24, from 5:30 pm to 6:15 pm, location: Room 1 (133-134)

2. The IXP initiative - Building a path for newcomers

Speakers Carlos Ospina (Camoa)

While it may not seem like newcomers directly contribute to innovation, the reality is that without fresh perspectives and new talent, we risk stagnation. A healthy, evolving ecosystem thrives on diversity, fostering progress and groundbreaking ideas.

Tuesday, 9/24, from 3:15 pm to 4 pm, location: Room BoF 3 (120)

3. AI Meets Accessibility: Enhancing Drupal with Smart Image Descriptions (Sponsored by Hounder)

Speakers Austin Amento (Austin.amento)

AI holds the potential to dramatically reduce workloads, particularly in the realm of accessibility. I’m excited to explore how AI can drive significant improvements and make accessibility more effective and inclusive.

Tuesday, 9/24, from 4:15 pm to 4:30 pm, location: Open Stage

4. How combining open source platforms can make your business and the community stronger. An update on Mautic, Drupal and the open DXP.

Speaker: Dominique De Cooman (Domidc)

I’ve always believed that learning from other communities is crucial. Creating synergies, sharing knowledge and supporting one another can drive collective growth and innovation. I’m particularly excited to hear Dominique’s insights and perspectives on this topic.

Tuesday, 9/24 from 3:15 pm to 4 pm, location: Room 5 (124-125)

Wednesday, Sept. 25

5. Using AI to Speed Up Drupal Personalization (Sponsored by Pantheon)

Speakers: Josh Koenig (Joshk) and Alex Moreno

Gone are the days when simply having a website was enough. Today, the key to driving conversions lies in delivering personalized experiences. But is achieving this level of personalization really that difficult? The answer might surprise you: it’s not as challenging as it seems. (Yes, I will be co-hosting this session!)

Wednesday, 9/25 from 12:30 pm to 1:15 pm, location: Sponsor Workshop Room M211+M212

6. Bridging the Gap: Unlocking Non-Code Contributions

Multiple speakers

Contribution is fundamental to innovation. Facilitating both code and non-code contributions is essential for fostering a sustainable and forward-thinking project. This session will explore how unlocking these avenues can drive continuous improvement and creativity.

Wednesday, 9/25 from 8:45 am to 9:30 am, location: Room 2 (131-132) 

7. Helping nonprofits personalize Drupal websites with a CDP 

Speakers: Sam Zimmerman (Sam Zimmerman), Annam Ravin (annam-sreenivasan)

The speakers promise to walk through personalization for nonprofits using Lytics. They will showcase Boston Children's Hospital’s low-cost implementation. 

Personalization often seems challenging and prohibitively expensive, making it less accessible to many individuals and companies. I look forward to this session for a faster and more straightforward approach to implementing a Customer Data Platform (CDP), which could make personalization more achievable for a wider audience.

Wednesday, 9/25 from 12:55 pm to 1:15 pm, location: Room 3 (129-130)

Thursday, Sept. 26

8. Implementing AI solutions for the French government

Speaker: David Suissa (Dydave)

“As part of its strategic plan for this decade, the French government is pursuing its efforts to provide more and improved public services online” reads the first sentence of this session description. Tres bien! I’m ready to learn about specific use cases and see how people, companies and governments are integrating Drupal with AI. Understanding these practical applications will offer valuable insights into how AI can enhance Drupal’s functionality across various sectors.

Thursday, 9/26 from 9:30 am to 10:15 am, location: Room 3 (129-130)

9. Unleash all Drupal features: how ambitious site builders take it to the next level with ECA and BPMN

Speaker: Jürgen Haas (jurgenhaas)

The Events, Conditions and Actions (ECA) module has been one of the most intriguing developments I’ve seen in recent years, and I’ve been closely following its progress. Drupal was once celebrated as a "Swiss Army knife" of web development, and this module not only revives that reputation but takes it to the next level with its enhanced usability and interface.

Thursday, 9/26 from 9:30 am to 10:15 am, location: Room 1 (133-134)

10. Why a big deal async Drupal is

Speaker: Alexander Varwijk (Kingdutch)

Drupal has the potential to evolve into an even more powerful framework – a toolkit to empower real-life applications. From what I’ve heard, this session promises to elevate Drupal’s capabilities to the next level, “beyond the synchronous world of web servers.”

Thursday, 9/26 from 10:45 am to 11:30 am, location: Room 4 (127-128)

These are my top 10 sessions to attend at DrupalCon Barcelona, but I couldn’t leave you without a bonus! Work can sometimes become overwhelming, and it’s important to know when to take a break. The following sessions offer a great opportunity to step away from the grind and engage socially, providing a refreshing change of pace while connecting with others.

Movement and Music - Wellness on 9/24 at 3:15 pm and Mind & Body Stress Reduction Activities on 9/25 at 5:15 pm.

Finally, come chat with me about your favorite DrupalCon session at our Pantheon booth #5 or book a meeting with one of our team members!