#SAPTechEd Expands to Become #SAPdcode!

[Former Member]

For over 18 years, SAP TechEd has set the standard as SAP’s premier technology conference where you, our SAP community members and technology professionals gather every year to learn from top SAP experts, get your hands on the latest SAP technology, network with peers, and of course, have a great time doing it.

Well, it’s time to move to the next generation!

This year we are radically rethinking SAP TechEd and kicking off SAP d-code, the next evolution of technology education and training events. This new event series will celebrate developers as well as the entire ecosystem of technology professionals with the best of SAP TechEd lectures and hands-on training, as well as meet-ups, hack days, CodeJams and InnoJams.

SAP d-code will continue to have valuable TechEd content for IT managers and architects, developers, system and database administrators, to security and business intelligence professionals.  But with the new SAP d-code, we’ll put SAP technology in the hands of developers and technology professionals to engage and explore new possibilities for collaboration, innovation and problem-solving.

Here is an announcement from Dr. Vishal Sikka, introducing SAP d-code:

What is SAP d-code?

SAP d-code is the newest conference in SAP’s renowned event portfolio. It is an evolution of the SAP TechEd program and is designed with additional elements to attract more external developers who are new to the SAP platform, as well as internal developers and the traditional SAP TechEd audience of IT Managers and Architects, Developers, System and Database Administrators, and Security and Business Intelligence professionals.

With SAP d-code, we are expanding our approach to our acclaimed technical conference series – growing beyond SAP TechEd’s scope, adding new experiences for developers, and increased opportunities for SAP customers and partners to interact and communicate with internal SAP developers and product experts.

Where will SAP d-code Events Take Place in 2014?

For 2014, SAP d-code event dates and locations will be:

• Shanghai, China – March 13-14
• Las Vegas, USA –  October 20-24
• Berlin, Germany – November 11-13
• Bangalore, India – Q4 (date TBA)

Does SAP d-code replace SAP TechEd?

Yes. For nearly two decades, SAP has delivered a premier technical education experience with SAP TechEd. Now with SAP d-code we are expanding the concept to include new elements that will deliver value to an even broader ecosystem.

What happens to all the valuable SAP TechEd components, like the hands-on workshops, lecture sessions, expert networking sessions, and Demo Jam?

Though we are retiring the valuable SAP TechEd brand, the event’s most valuable elements live on with SAP d-code. Intensive hands-on workshops, demo-rich lecture sessions, expert networking sessions, Demo Jam, CodeJam, InnoJam, meetups, hack days, and much more are all in the SAP d-code mix.

Will SAP Community Network (SCN) be part of SAP d-code?

Absolutely. Since its inception in 2003, SCN has been an integral part of SAP TechEd and bringing together the collective power of developers, partners, customers, business process experts, and others to enhance the value of their SAP relationship. This powerful collaboration continues to thrive with SAP d-code.

Why the name “SAP d-code”?

The SAP TechEd conference has always been about HOW to get things done – delivering the education and training to help customers get the most out of their SAP solutions. While SAP d-code still offers critical education and training programs on HOW to get things done, it is also a more collaborative opportunity to discuss WHAT is possible with new technologies and products.

As the name suggests, SAP d-code is about bringing together the broader SAP ecosystem – SAP and its customers, developers, and partners – to collaborate around new and emerging opportunities to “crack the code” on how best to apply technology to solve problems and deliver business results.

At SAP d-code, attendees dig deeper than ever to “decode” the thinking, the needs and drivers of thousands of SAP partners, developers and customers. Attendees will take that insight and collaborate with SAP developers to develop new ideas and innovative applications.

Who should attend SAP d-code?

SAP d-code will continue to have all the valuable SAP TechEd content for IT managers, architects, administrators, and developers who work with SAP technologies.

In addition, SAP d-code will have features for developers, IT professionals, and students who may not be SAP savvy yet, but who are curious to learn more about coding for in-memory computing, managing big data, creating enterprise mobile apps, and more.  Our goal is to bring together a larger number of developers – from SAP, our customers, our partners, and even from outside the SAP ecosystem – to engage with the longstanding SAP TechEd community of attendees.

Where Can I Learn More and Continue the SAP d-code Conversation?

Check out these online resources for more information and to join the conversation about SAP d-code 2014!

Channel *	Where to Go
SAP d-code Website	www.SAPdcode.com
Twitter	@SAPdcode
Twitter Hashtag	#SAPdcode
Facebook	www.facebook.com/SAPdcode
LinkedIn	SAP d-code | LinkedIn
Instagram	instagram.com/SAPdcode
Youtube	www.youtube.com/user/SAPCommunities

(*Note that we are transitioning our channels from SAP TechEd to SAP d-code over the coming weeks.  If you are already following SAP TechEd accounts, you will automatically be following SAP d-code when they are moved.)

Watch for more updates and exciting information on the new SAP d-code program for 2014.  Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media channels to get the latest on SAP d-code.

We’re looking forward to seeing everyone there!

...

[former_member182193]

The King is dead, long live the king!

[former_member182416]

This is a welcome change!!

New Name, New Theme,New Content.Game on :smile: :smile: :smile:

I will definitely attend d-Code :smile:

On a lighter note:  one more reason to attend and tell our sponsors: Last year attended TechEd,This year d-Code

Regards

Rajendra

[Former Member]

I notice that d-code LV is a day longer than TechEd LV was (5 days v 4 days), but Berlin is d-code is still only 3 days. How is all this great new content going to fit with no extra time? TechEd already felt a little rushed in 3 days.

Steve.

[KatiNonhebel]

It is a great "make over" - Congrats! But I am also a little bit sad :cry: and will now frame my old "SAP TechEd Shirts" from the last 10 years (they might become of great worth :-))

[JorgeWeiss]

Great News!

Evolution is always good and this one looks very interesting for all the community.

Congratulation!

/Weiss

[tbroek]

Oh no ... now I have a collection of retro stickers:

Do you think this will be a collectors item this year at SAP TechEd, eh SAP D-code?

:wink:

Looking forward to the rebranded favourite event of the year.

Kind regards

Twan

[Jason_Cao]

Twan, maybe we should have a swapmeet set up at next d-code where attendees can  swap collectables from past TechEds eg. stickers, buttons, shirts, bags, etc. I've also got quite a collection of SAP-branded schwag most people don't have like, drink coasters, umbrellas, chocolate and clock radios (yes!). :razz: (Disclaimer: The swapmeet is not an official part of d-code. :lol: )

[former_member1394]

Hi Steve…Actually, the length of the Las Vegas program hasn’t changed.  We show SAP TechEd Las Vegas spanning 5 days because of a guest keynote on Monday evening and a half-day on Friday.  But the actual duration of the hands-on and lecture sessions runs 3.5 days from Tues morning through Friday at noon.  We need the extra half day of sessions in Las Vegas because our audience is significantly bigger, and in order to accommodate everyone, we need to run more repeats of sessions than we do in Europe.  That said, the core content catalog is the same in both locations, so the EMEA audience isn’t missing out!

One additional program we’ve had in Las Vegas are pre-conference sessions.  On Monday in Las Vegas, the Americas’ SAP Users’ Group (ASUG) programs a series of half-day and full-day seminars offering deep dives on a variety of topics.  Currently, we’re exploring whether we’ll be able to offer something similar in conjunction with the SAP d-code Berlin event.

I’d love to hear more from our audience in Europe.  Would you be in favor of a longer SAP d-code program?  Or would you prefer us to pack as much as possible into 3 days, to minimize the time you’re away from the office?

[Former Member]

Thanks Maria.

I will say that minimising my time away from the office is low down on my list of concerns :smile: . Actually I typically fly out on the Monday and back on the Friday, so I'm out of the office all week anyway. If it is possible to add an extra day, that would be fine by me.

One thing I've heard people say when comparing US and European TechEds is that there are more repeated sessions in LV, due to the extra time, and so it is possible to work around timetable clashes more easily. I have found in the European TechEds I've needed to take a couple of clones to deal with scheduling issues. In LV I might only need one clone!

I'm sure half day/full day deep dives would be popular in Europe too. I don't know if DSAG would be able to help with that or if European UGs could club together to do something. Sounds like an idea worth exploring, for sure.

[Former Member]

Isn't that, for the majority of people, when they hear the word "code", the first thing that comes to their mind is "Programming"? And isn't "decoding" a function of "programming"?

So the new name might not fit the message we hope to disseminate to the SAP Ecosystem. Just wondering. :smile:

simon

[Astrid_Gambill]

I'm of the same opinion as Simon, "decode" doesn't seem to imply the all embracing wider ecosystem that is intended.

[harshil_joshi]

I wanted to be a part of SAP TECHED, but unfortunately now I'll not be ever .. :sad: . But will definitely be a part of SAP d-code... :smile:

Welcoming one more new name in our family. :grin:

[grassl]

There will be more information coming out over the next months in regards to content and program of the event, which will make it more clear and I'm very positive it will be attractive for the entire SAP ecosystem. As Chip pointed out, it's an expansion of TechEd, so all the good stuff TechEd will be there at SAP d-code plus++ more.

One of the drivers behind SAP d-code was that we see the SAP ecosystem expanding. New partners are joining, Startups using SAP to build their business, and developers/students build apps with SAP tools/technologies.

The goal with SAP d-code is to create an event which allows all participants of the ecosystem (sys admins, developers, consultants, IT managers, partners, SAP developers, ...) to learn, share, exchange and "d-code" :smile: what is possible

[Former Member]

... it's an expansion of TechEd, so all the good stuff TechEd will be there at SAP d-code plus++ more.

I'm still struggling to understand how that's going to happen when the conference runs for the same length of time.

Steve.

[grassl]

The concept is to offer more activities in parallel. A good example for this and you might have seen in in Amsterdam, Las Vegas, Bangalore were the CodeJams on the showfloor.

[Former Member]

I was afraid you'd say that. There are already so many parallel streams that I'm often triple booked. Adding more will just make that worse, surely? If you want to add more content to an already busy schedule I don't see an alternative but to add more time. Maybe this is just me?

Steve.

[Former Member]

I agree. It will not be good if attendees have to pick and choose what sessions to go to because of the conflicting schedules. If we are adding more contents, perhaps we should expand the hands-on/lecture sessions from 3.5 days to 4.5 days instead.

simon

[Former Member]

To echo Steve's comments, I'm sure most if not all attendee's in EMEA would be happy to spend another day at the event.  It's a no-brainer to me to add more content or more repeats as it is almost impossible to get to everything that is paacked into the current 3 day schedule.

[fred_verheul]

MORE DAYS PLEASE! (Note the plural :smile: ).

But seriously: I couldn't agree more with Steve's comment. SAPTechEd (as well as SAP d-code) takes a whole week anyway, which I'm happy to give up btw, so please give us the opportunity to make the most out of it. And having the same catalog as in LV doesn't help: just do the thought experiment of having only 1 day available with all sessions planned on that day. That wouldn't make me particularly happy, no matter how big the catalog is...

But it's great to hear the TechEd d-code team is listening!

Thanks!

[Former Member]

SAP is continuing their new tradition of "Names that don't make sense". I don't understand what "decode the thinking" means. Is thinking currently coded somewhere, and we need to unlock the code? Marketing people can up with the most amazingly meaningless names and phrases.

[MattHarding]

Hi Chip,

As far as I can tell, the announcement is a new name, the hope to attract more "developers" from beyond traditional SAP with additional "new" parallel activities plus more internal SAP developers (who traditionally go to DKOM but not TechEd); but what I'd like to see is a blog stating "what is radically different with d-code" just to either understand it or even better, get excited about it. Also, will Shanghai demonstrate the entire new d-code approach or will this be a stepping stone to what we will see in Vegas?

Just a thought - can we lose the band this year and go with a networking event similar to Boston SAP TechEd or like the EMEA SAP utility conferences have (with local small band for background dancing/music) that goes into the late hours of the morning? I realise the band is a drawcard, but for many developer stereotypes, I imagine the band choice is not their first pick (not that I didn't like many of them) and not a drawcard in reality.

Cheers,

Matt

[Former Member]

Cool. Now I'm waiting for the next step that the C in SCN is swapped back to the good old D and we developers returning to the center of the SAP community universe 🙂

-anton

[Former Member]

and of course SDN missions comprising of solving some relevant coding challenges rather then such missions requiring one to read boring docs, writing large numbers of irrelevant comments or click Like buttons like crazy.

Just dreaming.

[tbroek]

I'm in - celebrate the new d-code by remembering the old SAPTechEd (hmm still need to get used to the new name) by organising a trade fair.

[tbroek]

No Steve, it's not just you. In the past years we've already asked on Twitter or Facebook to add more time to the event in Europe. Already happy with the pre-events like Community weekend - Process Design Slam - InnoJam. Now let's extend that SAP D-Code agenda to have another chance to attend sessions that you've missed on the days before.

Twan

[Former Member]

I'm a developer. I like the new name. For me, TechED was always about diseminating technical knowledge, for technical people. Like SCN used to be SDN, SAP Developer Network, before the non-techies were allowed on board 🙂 . Maybe it's just the old "techie/functional" divide, but I've always felt more comfortable among technically oriented soulmates... and TechED reflected that; I've not seen many "functional" sessions there. Such content would maybe fit better into specific user group conferences, like ASUG?

[Former Member]

Agree. I never liked the "C" either. And your suggestions of SDN missions would be a good way of segregating the wheat from the chaff...

[Chris_Kerr]

I'd be interested to see a break down of attendees from previous Tech-ED events by industry, interest and role. Then compare against the new event as the places are booked and confirmed.

It's a bold move, and one to be applauded if it attracts the right audience but retains the core values of SAP and its experts.

[vivekbhoj]

Glad to have attended my first and last SAP TechEd at Bangalore

Will surely treasure the SAP TechEd Cap and #SCNis10 T-Shirt

Looking forward to the "d"-Code

Regards,

Vivek

[Former Member]

Hi Chip,

I am very happy to know that SAP Teched is replaced with "d" -Code. New name, fresh minds, different environment is going to rock all over the IT-Universe. :cool:

Regards,

Hari Suseelan

[former_member227581]

any idea when the registration for Las Vegas starts?

[former_member1394]

Hi Manfred,

I don't have an exact date for you yet, but we're targeting June, roughly the same timeframe as last year, for Las Vegas and Berlin registration.

Rgds,

Maria

[Former Member]

This is a VERY bad idea.  The only thing it will do is cause people more angst in scheduling their sessions because there will be more options.  As it now stands there isn't enough time to fit in all of the desirable sessions.  Adding more content without adding more time will do nothing but make this worse.

[Former Member]

Congratulations to Chip, Philippe, Maria, (Keith before them), and the whole massive SAP TechEd team for running a successful event series for 18 years.  That's an amazing accomplishment, especially considering the way TechEd has grown and evolved to accommodate new attendees, new ideas, and piloted new innovations over that period.

Mark Y.