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Workshop Overview

Our workshop is designed for technology executives who are responsible for delivering highly available and highly scalable technical platforms & products.  The principles we share can be applied to large organizations and start-ups alike.  Our principles are technology-agnostic – we believe you can successfully scale with almost any technology if key concepts are followed.  During our two-day workshop, you’ll participate in sessions that integrate our experience, research, and the work we’ve done with over 450 clients since 2007. 

How is the workshop structured?

The workshop is delivered in 14 collaborative sessions over the 2-day event.  While a member of the AKF team will lead the discussion in each session, much of the interaction comes from the participants themselves.  We keep the session size limited (maximum of 25 attendees) so that each attendee can be an active part of the conversation, share experiences, and ask questions from other executives who have been in your shoes.  You’ll leave the workshop with principles, tools, and examples that you can continuously apply to your platform and organization.

Who should attend the workshop?

Our event is designed for current CTOs, VPs of Engineering, Chief Architects, and other technology executives who want to improve their management, leadership, and technology skills.  We help companies scale their technology and product platforms.  Although nearly any technical organization would benefit from the lessons shared in the workshop, our sessions will provide the most value to companies that use technology to deliver their core product or service (e.g. SaaS, eCommerce). 

What topics are covered in the workshop?

• The CTO Role: A discussion on the diversity of expectations and responsibilities from the 400 companies we have worked with at AKF Partners.
• The Right People & Roles: Ensuring the right talent is placed in positions for success.
• Management & Leadership: The skills of a transformational leader and highly effective manager.
• Conflict & Innovation: A discussion of good and bad conflicts in organizations and how to increase innovation.
• Multidisciplinary Agile Teams: Building innovative teams with diverse experience and skills.
• Team Goals & KPIs: Setting goals, metrics, and KPIs for Agile teams to ensure success.
• The Experiential Chasm: The widening gap between business leaders and technology leaders and how to close it.
• Service Delivery Mindset: The most successful technology organizations are structured with a service oriented mindset and we will discuss how to transform your organization and mindset.
• AKF Risk Model: Our viewpoint of risk and how to manage it successfully in your architecture, people, and processes.
• Highly Scalable Architectures: An in-depth look at creating highly scalable and available architectures
• AKF Scale Cube: Our approach to designing highly scalable architectures.
• Creating Fault Isolation: The importance of isolation for availability and time to market.
• Architecture Principles: An in-depth look at the top architecture principles and how to apply them.
• Processes for a Learning Organization: The most effective processes to put in place to create a successful learning organization.

Who teaches this workshop?

Workshops are delivered by AKF Managing Partner/CEO, Marty Abbott, as well as other members of the AKF team.  Marty, together with Mike Fisher and Tom Keeven, helped found AKF Partners nine years ago with the goal of leveraging their successes (and failures!) as technology executives to help other companies prepare for and achieve hyper-growth.  To date, AKF has helped over 400 companies across 18 countries make progress towards their scalability goals (including many leaders in the internet industry).  Marty and Mike have co-authored three books: “The Art of Scalability”, “Scalability Rules”, and “The Power of Customer Misbehavior.”

What hotel options are in the area?

We are holding the workshop at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel. It’s busy season in the Phoenix area, so if you plan on staying at the same hotel, we suggest you reserve a room soon!

Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and Conference Center
60 E 5th St, Tempe, AZ 85281
destinationhotels.com
(480) 894-1400

Other area hotel options:
Aloft Tempe
951 E Playa Del Norte Dr, Tempe, AZ 85281
alofttempe.com
(480) 621-3300

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Phoenix Tempe - University
1031 E Apache Blvd, Tempe, AZ 85281
ihg.com
(480) 966-7202

AC Hotel by Marriott Phoenix Tempe/Downtown
100 E Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe, AZ 85281
marriott.com
(480) 642-6140

Baymont Inn & Suites Tempe/Scottsdale
808 N Scottsdale Rd, Tempe, AZ 85281
wyndhamhotels.com
(480) 900-3496

MOXY Phoenix Tempe/ASU
1333 S Rural Rd, Tempe, AZ 85281
marriott.com
(480) 968-3451

Residence Inn by Marriott Tempe Downtown/University
510 S Forest Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281
marriott.com

Courtyard by Marriott Tempe Downtown
601 S Ash Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281
marriott.com
(480) 966-2800

Hyatt Place Tempe/Phoenix Airport
1413 W Rio Salado Pkwy, Tempe, AZ 85281
phoenixairport.place.hyatt.com
(480) 804-9544