Conference Topic Areas

The three topic areas for this year’s technical program are (1) Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data-Centric Systems; (2) Modern Approaches for Architecting Distributed Systems; and (3) Other Design and Development Techniques, Patterns, and Solutions. Each proposal should identify a primary topic area, although a submission topic may be relevant to more than one area. Proposals need not be limited to the example subjects listed under each topic area below.

1. Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data-Centric Systems

This topic area highlights frameworks, techniques, and tools for AI, data analytics, and algorithms. This technology has now become mainstream technology, used in systems across many domains, in some cases, even driving the critical decision making that gives businesses a competitive edge. Enterprise solutions can benefit from this technology to improve the user experience and agility of corporate software systems. Submissions in this topic area may include

• how intelligent automation, such as robotic process automation, digital assistants, classifiers, and recommenders affects architects and systems
• tools and frameworks for architecting data analytics and machine learning systems
• architecture design and analysis of data analytics solutions
• big data technologies and infrastructure for large-scale data management (e.g., distributed and NoSQL databases) and processing (e.g., Hadoop, Storm, Spark)
• case studies of building and evolving ML, AI and data-centric systems in industry or government

2. Modern Approaches for Architecting Distributed Systems

In this topic area we want to explore the design tradeoffs, benefits, and challenges involved in the use of any modern approaches for architecting distributed systems. We also encourage submissions about frameworks, patterns, tools, and techniques that architects and developers have successfully employed to create these systems. Topics may include case studies, frameworks, platforms, patterns, and techniques focusing on

• serverless architecture, Function as a Service (FaaS), and cloud-based databases
• microservice architectures
• API Gateway and API management
• software containers and container orchestration
• IoT, mobile apps, edge computing, and device data management
• event-driven architectures and reactive systems
• event sourcing and Command-Query Responsibility Segregation (CQRS)

Please keep in mind that we will not accept submissions that focus on presenting a particular product.

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

This topic area is wide open for talks about the many other interesting topics related to software architecture, including

• 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
• developing software architects, including coaching, mentoring, certification, professional training, and college education
• managing and minimizing 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
• addressing quality attribute concerns such as performance, availability, usability, security, and interoperability
• case studies sharing experiences on any of these topics

Session Types

Choose a session type that you are comfortable presenting or facilitating and that best helps you to effectively share your wisdom, knowledge, and experience with your audience. You may submit up to 3 separate proposals for a 45-minute talk and a 90-minute tutorial session on the same topic.

Session types include the following:

• Experience Report: 45-minute presentation that describes a first-hand experience, either successful or unsuccessful, and lessons learned. Generally, this is a slide-based presentation that tells a story about something that you did.
• Technical Talk: 45-minute lecture-based session, focused on teaching a specific skill or technique based on your knowledge and expertise.
• 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 very limited number of slots available for these presentations.
• DEV@SATURN Talk (TED-Style Presentation): 15-minute talk that concisely shares a single important technique, lesson, or experience. Stories can be short without a lot of slides to explain. We have a limited number of slots available for these presentations.

Speaker Compensation

Speakers whose proposals are accepted will receive free or discounted admission to the conference, depending on the submission type:

• As compensation for presenting a 15- or 45-minute session at SATURN, speakers will receive 60% off the full-conference registration fee and 15% off the price of one course fee. This compensation will only apply to one speaker in a 15-minute talk and a maximum of two speakers in a 45-minute talk.
• As compensation for presenting a 90-minute session at SATURN, one speaker per session will receive complimentary conference registration, 15% off the price of one course fee, and one free night at the conference hotel. Additional speakers will receive 60% off the full-conference registration fee and 15% off the price of one course fee.

SATURN is not able to fund speakers’ travel expenses beyond what is listed above.

For tips on how to submit a winning proposal, check out some advice from our former SATURN Chair, Bill Pollak in Seven Proposal-Writing Tips That Make Conference Program Committees Smile.