As we look forward to our upcoming internal annual event, the Wix Engineering Conference 2024, and as our amazing lineup of speakers prepares their sessions, it's the perfect time to discuss the "Why".
Why do we continue to invest our time and attention into this full day of professional talks and practical workshops?
We sat down with Aviran Mordo, VP Engineering and the driving force behind this unique day, to understand and outline the aspects of Wix’s engineering culture that fuel the great effort behind the Wix Engineering Conference.
Hi Aviran, can you please introduce yourself?
I'm the VP of Engineering at Wix, and I’ve been with the company for 14 years. Before joining Wix, I worked at several large companies, including Lockheed Martin, and I also had my own startups. So, I’ve been around for quite a while.
I’m a vocal advocate of the DevOps culture at Wix, which we refer to as a developer-centric culture. This approach puts developers at the center, with the organization supporting them to ship software faster. That's our goal—to continually find ways to accelerate software delivery. You can follow me on X and LinkedIn to read more of my thoughts on these topics.
Aviran, the Wix Engineering Conference has become a significant annual event for our company. Can you start by elaborating why Wix continues to invest so much effort into this internal conference?
The Wix Engineering Conference is more than just an event. It's a cornerstone of our engineering culture. Unlike public conferences that need to cater to a broad audience, our internal focus allows us to dive deep into topics that are most relevant to our developers.
The investment in time and effort is substantial, but it’s an investment in our developers' growth, the advancement of our technology, our culture, and the future of our company.
This targeted approach ensures that the content we provide is not only advanced but also directly applicable to the work our different R&D teams are doing. The investment in time and effort is substantial, but it’s an investment in our developers' growth, the advancement of our technology, our culture, and the future of our company.
You’ve emphasized the importance of culture at Wix. How does the conference play a role in shaping and maintaining our engineering culture?
Culture is the backbone of any successful organization, and the Wix Engineering Conference is a significant part of nurturing that culture. By dedicating an entire day to knowledge enrichment and internal collaboration, we’re reinforcing the values of continuous learning and innovation that define our engineering teams.
Culture is the backbone of any successful organization, and the Wix Engineering Conference is a significant part of nurturing that culture.
As I mentioned, it’s an investment in our people, ensuring they have the resources and opportunities to grow, which in turn drives the company forward. By bringing all of our developers together for a day full of technical case studies, innovation, and learning - we maintain a culture of excellence and curiosity.
How does the conference contribute to the professional growth of Wix developers?
The conference is a catalyst for continuous learning. This is how we see it.
It provides our developers with the opportunity to step away from their day-to-day tasks and immerse themselves in the latest industry trends, new technologies, and innovative practices. This environment of learning and sharing is crucial for professional growth.
By presenting their work, our developers also hone their communication and presentation skills, which are essential for their career advancement.
By presenting their work, our developers also hone their communication and presentation skills, which are essential for their career advancement. The conference is not just about acquiring knowledge; it’s about growing as professionals.
We make sure to record our conference, so lectures that have no internal data are being shared on our YouTube channel. By that we also contribute to the growth of the general dev community.
Beyond learning and growth, how does the conference help the company with internal awareness among your teams?
One of the key benefits of the conference is the increased internal awareness it fosters. Our development teams often work on different projects and may not always be aware of what’s happening in other parts of the company.
The conference brings everyone together, providing a platform to showcase different projects, share challenges, and discuss successes. This cross-team interaction broadens our engineers’ understanding of the company’s overall direction and goals, which is essential for fostering collaboration and unity.
We also do that by dedicating a central place for booths, where groups, products and teams can showcase and highlight their work with their peers.
There’s also an element of fun and celebration involved in the Wix Engineering Conference. How important is that to the conference’s success?
Absolutely, fun is a critical component of the conference. We believe that learning and professional growth should be enjoyable experiences.
This not only makes the conference more enjoyable but also helps to strengthen bonds between colleagues. A positive, energized atmosphere contributes to better learning and makes the whole experience something our developers look forward to each year.
Fun is a critical component of the conference. We believe that learning and professional growth should be enjoyable experiences.
From drinks to great coffee, food, DJ, awesome swags, games and prizes. Fun is a critical part in making this event unforgettable. Just watch our clip from last year:
The conference also features thought leaders from the industry, such as GitHub Co-Founder Scott Chacon and Wix’s Co-Founder and CEO Avishai Abrahami. How do these leaders contribute to the event?
Bringing in thought leaders from the tech industry adds an invaluable dimension to the conference. These top minds provide unique perspectives and insights that challenge our developers to think differently and push the boundaries of what’s possible.
It’s a way to inspire our engineers and remind them that they are part of a larger, dynamic industry. Just read this special interview with Scott Chacon here, or watch his great Wix Engineering session:
Finally, how would you summarize the Wix Engineering Conference?
Our overarching goal is to empower our developers. We want to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and inspiration they need to excel in their roles and contribute to the company’s success.
The conference is about more than just one full day of learning—it’s about setting the tone for the year ahead, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and ensuring that our teams are aligned and motivated to achieve great things together. It’s a celebration of engineering talent and a commitment to their ongoing development. Wix celebration.
The conference is about more than just one full day of learning—it’s about setting the tone for the year ahead
Looking ahead to November 5th, the day of the conference. What should we look for in this year's agenda? What will we learn?
This year’s agenda is packed with sessions that dive deep into the latest industry trends, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative development practices.
Expect a mix of advanced technical talks, practical workshops, plenty of AI and inspiring presentations. All wrapped in an atmosphere of fun and celebration, making it a day you won’t want to miss.
Thank you, Aviran! Looking forward to Wix Engineering Conference 2024
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