soap! conf 2017 – the only techcomm conference in Krakow

When I started my adventure with tech there wasn’t a lot of events happening for people who were interested in technical communication, online solutions, or technology business. Hell, back then the word start-up existed only in Silicone Valley (even though I think the history of start-ups is way longer, but we’re talking general public here). But yeah, I was working in IT, mostly in the area of knowledge management, and used Google and Yahoo to keep myself in the loop. Then I moved to eLearning (so still in tech), a topic not that popular 5 years ago, and yet again faced the empty space of conferences and meetups (at least in Krakow). The eLearning space was slightly small and condensed, most people knew each other and worked with each other at some point, but there was no open coffee meetings or creative breakfasts. Fail again.

But then, technology started picking up, of course. Better laptops, better cell phones, beacons, and whatnot… And suddenly there were meetups, coffee dates, tech parties, and more! And it was terrific, and it gets better! Because the demand to exchange experiences, get inspired and meet people to create great projects is growing.

Out of many events, I have been an avid supporter of the soap technical communication conference from the start when it was just a baby event for, like, 50 people. Organized by a group of people who got fed up with the lack of technical writing events (see above, lol) got together and created their own! This conference has established itself as a beacon of hope for everyone interested in technical writing, content development, eLearning, and more.

In 2017, the central theme was centered around problem-solving. Of course, my design thinking-oriented brain beeped, and I applied for a spot. And I was accepted to lead a design thinking workshop, and talk about eLearning!

Last, but not least! I’m so PROUD to say that soap! conf 2017, among many inspiring moments, also bore witness to two HISTORICAL, never seen before, moments. There was the first ever soapy stage selfie, with Szymon, me, and the founder of soap, Gosia Radymiak (the pressure got to us a bit, lol). The second one is more personal, as soap intro vid was the first ever scripted (comedic, dare I say) video I’ve ever made! You can marvel at both below, lol!