Conflux

CHALLENGE

Scaling a high-quality, globally inclusive design conference—serving thousands across time zones and disciplines—with limited resources, while maintaining meaningful community connection, operational excellence, and content depth in both virtual and hybrid formats.

RESULTS

Three years of Success

2022: Pivoting to Virtual

In 2022, the Amazon Design Excellence (ADX) team faced the challenge of scaling their flagship Conflux conference to accommodate a rapidly growing global design community while maintaining high quality standards and fostering meaningful connections. With limited resources, they needed to serve designers across 33 countries and multiple time zones in a virtual format.

The two-day virtual conference attracted 2,338 unique attendees from diverse backgrounds, ranging from entry-level designers to executive leadership. Despite the small core team, the event relied on a network of volunteer coordinators, watch party hosts, and moderators to ensure smooth execution.

The content strategy centered around the theme "Bridging the Gap," featuring a mix of live and on-demand sessions. Technical implementation focused on high-quality delivery through pre-recorded presentations combined with live Q&A and active chat discussions. Local watch parties were organized to facilitate community engagement across time zones.

The results were impressive, with attendance increasing by 52% from the previous year. Attendees gave the conference high marks, with 91% indicating they would recommend it. Significantly, 77% of participants reported that the event enhanced their perception of Amazon as an employer.

Key lessons from 2022 included the importance of dedicated staff support, the ability of virtual formats to effectively scale reach, and the need for a balance between inspirational and practical content. The value of local watch parties and active moderation in fostering community engagement also became evident.

2023: Hybrid Approach and Volunteer Engagement

In 2023, the conference faced the challenge of scaling to serve an increasingly global and diverse creative workforce while maintaining high standards of quality and engagement. The team implemented a comprehensive strategy centered around the theme of "Strategic Craft," with a core team of six leads supported by 188 contributors, including 168 volunteers.

The execution focused on three key areas: content development, community engagement, and operational excellence. The team expanded session types, organized 21 global watch parties, and implemented comprehensive communication strategies. A "party in a box" concept ensured consistent experience across locations, while detailed playbooks guided volunteers and hosts.

The conference achieved remarkable success, attracting 2,119 attendees (39% of the eligible audience) and maintaining a high satisfaction score of 4.18/5. The event came in $75,171 under budget while achieving a 405% increase in internal submissions and 158% increase in volunteer participation. The hybrid model, with watch parties drawing 809 attendees, demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach.

Key insights from 2023 included the essential nature of leadership support, the promise of the hybrid model (though needing refinement), the persistence of global time zone challenges, and the crucial role of the volunteer framework in scaling the event.

2024: Expanding Reach and Enhancing Content Quality

In 2024, the ADX team faced the complex challenge of scaling Conflux to meet the needs of an expanding global audience while maintaining high standards of engagement and content quality. The conference primarily served Amazon's Design Community (ADC), comprising 5,450 members across various creative disciplines, as well as a growing interest from non-ADC Amazon employees.

The team implemented a comprehensive six-month planning process, including strategic timing decisions, a robust speaker coaching program, and segmented marketing campaigns. Content development focused on creating 61 diverse sessions, each carefully reviewed through a structured process.

The execution phase involved coordinating 20 global watch parties, managing complex hybrid delivery systems, and implementing a new volunteer management system to support the expanded scope. The conference achieved notable success, attracting 2,186 attendees (a 3.16% increase from 2023) and earning a 4.11/5 overall success score.

Key lessons from 2024 included the crucial nature of leadership support, the resource-intensive nature of the hybrid format, the benefits of structured speaker coaching and diverse content offerings, and the importance of early venue planning and vendor management.