Reflections on the 2024 Umbraco Community Teams Visit
As September unfolds, it brings with it the much-anticipated 2024 Umbraco Community Teams Visit. This year's event offered a unique opportunity to reconnect with fellow Umbracans and explore the exciting initiatives ahead.
The theme for this year was "Back to Basics," allowing us to reflect on our past accomplishments, anticipate future developments, and warmly welcome new community members.
Our journey began with an sunrise run around Odense, awakening our senses and setting a positive tone for the two-day gathering. Each team then convened to outline our objectives for the event, fostering collaboration and shared goals.
For the Backoffice Team, this visit was bittersweet. Founded as a collaborative workspace for the development of the new Umbraco Backoffice—Bellisima—the team has now fulfilled its mission. As we transition to new ventures, we prepared a comprehensive handover document for HQ. This resource includes a roadmap for Umbraco, version migration guidance, and community support strategies for transitioning to V14.
I am immensely grateful to the team for their warm welcome and for the opportunity to engage with both HQ experts and fellow community members. My experience reinforced the notion that expertise is not a prerequisite for joining a team; a willingness to participate and learn is what truly matters.
As we concluded our sessions with expressions of gratitude and camaraderie—while playfully hiding trinkets around HQ to "leave our mark"—we had a delightful surprise: a visit from our new CEO, Mats Persson. He spent time with each community team, engaging us in conversations about our experiences and perspectives on Umbraco. Mats's approachable demeanor and sense of humor left us optimistic about the future under his leadership. He expressed sincere appreciation for the dedicated community members who volunteer their time to contribute to Umbraco's success.
Following our discussions, we joined other teams for a series of lawn games that tested our teamwork and skill, ending in a delicious dinner at Madklubben. This gathering provided a wonderful opportunity to bond with such a warm and supportive community.
Day two focused on collaboratively drafting a blog post about the retirement of the Backoffice Team and discussing our individual next steps. Maud and I spent time with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team in the Rave Cave, exploring ways to enhance their visibility and support for all community members. Our conversations sparked ideas about positioning the team as cheerleaders for individuals seeking guidance on speaking, writing, or participating in Umbraco-related activities. We also discussed launching a book club aimed at supporting minority groups, whether based on neurodiversity, gender, location, or other identities. Be on the lookout for upcoming blog posts and Skrift articles detailing these initiatives!
The highlight of our final day was the Umbraco Office Olympics. Lotte and Ema kicked off the festivities with a fantastic opening ceremony. The games featured unique activities such as Hammerschlagen, Pacman, Hobby Horse Racing, and indoor frisbee - which proved to be somewhat dangerous if you ask Matt Sutherland! Participants took the competition seriously, especially knowing that the community members who were unable to attend in person, were watching online and scoring the events. Winners were awarded awards based fabulous medals, which I'm sure now take pride of place in their homes and offices.
Lastly the the trip came to a close with a classic Umbraco pizza party, providing the perfect conclusion to an inspiring few days.
As I reflect on this experience, I feel a mix of sadness at the conclusion of the Backoffice Team's journey and excitement for the future. I look forward to new opportunities within the Umbraco community and am eager to see what lies ahead.
