Community, certifications and overcoming DevOps challenges: DevOps Dreamin’ Chicago

The curtains have closed on another fantastic DevOps Dreamin’ experience! Last week, over 200 Salesforce professionals came together to be inspired at the largest community conference dedicated to Salesforce delivery teams. It was the largest DevOps Dreamin’ yet, and by attending the community were able to raise $14,650 for Feeding America and the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, with proceeds from ticket sales split between the two causes.

Over two days we learned from industry experts at the top of their game, with sessions focussed on version control, leadership, mental health, system design, architecture. All of the things that make Salesforce teams effective when delivering quality systems that drive business growth.

Building DevOps knowledge

Technical deep dive sessions were well attended, notably Mitch Spano of Google discussing codifying Apex standards, and Andy Barrick of Gearset getting into the weeds with merge conflicts. What this shows us is that there is an increasing appetite for learning and developing a deeper understanding of DevOps concepts and challenges. It’s hugely exciting to see this development in the ecosystem, with more professionals increasing their competency and desire to solve the intricate technical challenges for larger teams.

Going beyond the technology

We were also reminded, however, that DevOps isn’t all about technology. Ian Gotts’ fantastic presentation; “Increase your ROI”, reasoning with us that everything should mature at the same time. Investment in people and training is paramount to the success of new processes and technologies. This session resonated strongly at an event that was so well attended— organizations are clearly prioritizing investment in their people and their learning journeys, thus increasing the likelihood of success with their implementations.

Getting DevOps certified

It was fantastic to see the DevOps Launchpad Lounge overflowing with attendees looking to get certified in Salesforce DevOps! Over 50 attendees achieved a DevOps Launchpad certification during the conference. We all know the Salesforce community loves a certification, and for them to dedicate the time to certify and validate their learning at the lounge is testament to the community’s passion for learning and desire to excel in their jobs.

Join us next time!

The positive reaction from the Salesforce community has been overwhelming. We can’t wait to see you all again at the next edition of DevOps Dreamin’, connect once more, and continue the journey together. You can register for updates over on Gearset’s Events page — hope to see you there!

Get your own Salesforce DevOps certification

If you’re looking to level up your DevOps knowledge and get certified, sign up for your free DevOps Launchpad account and dive into one of the many excellent courses available, or follow the dedicated certification tracks covering Salesforce DevOps Fundamentals or DevOps Leadership. Good luck!