DevOpsDayLA 2027 Call for Presentations
Friday, April 2, 2027 | Pasadena Convention Center | 16th Annual Event
What is DevOpsDayLA?
DevOpsDayLA is Southern California's premier conference focused on the human side of technology delivery. For 16 years, we've brought together local practitioners, engineers, and leaders who know great software isn't just about tools and automation, it's about people working together effectively.
As part of SCaLE (Southern California Linux Expo), we focus on culture, collaboration, and real-world implementation stories from local industry rather than pure technical deep-dives or vendor pitches.
The 2027 Lens: AI as a Boon, Not a Goon
AI has moved past experimentation. It's embedded in how your team codes, ships, and operates, and it's pushing a shift from "vibe coding" toward spec-driven development: clearer specifications, sandboxed agents, and the in-house harnesses teams are building to keep those agents accountable. We want to hear about yours.
DevOpsDayLA 2027 isn't just another AI conference. We want the honest version (the boon and the goon) of how practitioners and organizations are adapting their mindsets, processes, and team dynamics as agentic AI, containers, token economics, and FinOps reshape day-to-day operations.
What We're Looking For
Primary Focus Areas
Rollout & Adoption Stories
- How far AI has actually gotten into your org, not just whether you tried it
- What changed when you moved from experimenting to running AI in production
- Honest accounts of what worked, what didn’t, and what you’d do differently
Spec-Driven Development & Agentic Workflows
- Moving from vibe-driven to specification-driven, sandboxed AI development
- Building and evolving your team’s “harness” for agentic coding
- Where agents speed teams up, and where they create new failure modes
Platform Engineering & Internal Developer Platforms
- Building IDPs and golden paths in an AI-augmented world
- Platform SRE and reliability as a product, not just a function
DevSecOps & Supply Chain Integrity
- Securing AI-generated code and AI-touched supply chains
- Embedding security inside agentic workflows, not bolting it on after
Guardrails, Cost & Infrastructure
- Real (not theoretical) guardrails for agentic AI in production
- Token economics and FinOps: what AI costs you and how you manage it
- Containers and IaC in an AI-driven pipeline
The Human Element in an AI World
- When humans stay critical in automated workflows
- New skills beyond traditional DevOps; building the next generation when entry-level work is automated
- Managing the cultural shift as AI changes daily work
Cross-Industry SoCal Perspectives
- DevOps in local entertainment, gaming, aerospace, retail, healthcare, and manufacturing
- How Southern California companies are approaching these changes
- Scaling DevOps culture across LA’s diverse industries
Talk Formats
Full Talks (30–40 min): In-depth case studies and implementation stories; strategic approaches to team and cultural challenges.
Lightning Talks (10 min): Quick wins, practical tips, and brief "what we wish we'd known" lessons.
Open Spaces (at the Event): Facilitated community discussions on emerging topics; problem-solving and networking around shared interests.
Example Talk Ideas
"From Vibes to Specs: How Our Team Rebuilt Development for AI": A practical story of shifting to spec-driven, sandboxed AI development.
"The Harness We Built (and Rebuilt) for Agentic Coding": Real-world lessons keeping AI agents accountable in production.
"What AI Is Actually Costing Us: A Token Economics Story": An honest FinOps account of AI spend, waste, and what got fixed.
"Adoption, Not Adoption Theater: How Far AI Actually Got Into Our Org": A rollout story that goes past the pilot phase.
What We DON'T Want
Better suited for other SCaLE tracks:
- Pure infrastructure/cloud architecture → Infrastructure Track
- AI/ML algorithms, model training, data science → AI Track
- Kubernetes/Docker technical deep-dives → Cloud Native Track
- Security tools and vulnerability scanning → Security Track
- Linux system administration → General/Infrastructure Track
- Database optimization and management → PostgreSQL Track
- Pure development practices → Developer Track
We also avoid:
- Vendor pitches disguised as educational content
- Tool demos without implementation stories
- Abstract AI discussion without practical application
- Content repeating previous years without fresh insight
- Third-party submissions from PR firms or marketing. Speakers must be directly engaged with our community-driven event.
Ideal Speakers
- Southern California Practitioners First: We prioritize people doing the work locally over people selling solutions.
- Local Industry Diversity: We especially encourage speakers from SoCal’s gaming, entertainment, aerospace, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and other established industries.
- New Local Voices: You are the only one who can tell your story. We’re happy to provide speaker coaching for first-time presenters.
- Under-represented Perspectives: Whether you’re in a non-traditional field, a large organization, or the only person at your company with your background, we want your unique experience.
- All Experience Levels: From a seasoned architect at a major studio to someone who just solved their first DevOps challenge at a local startup, we want to hear your story.
- SoCal Companies: We welcome speakers from Los Angeles, Orange County, Inland Empire, and San Diego companies of all sizes.
What We Prioritize
- Real-world experience over abstract theory
- Before/after transformations backed by tangible metrics
- Decisions and tradeoffs over pure tool demos
- Unexpected lessons learned directly from practitioners
Speaker Commitment Requirements
- Attendance Confirmation: Accepted speakers must confirm in-person attendance with contact info (including phone number) to prevent no-shows.
- Content Freshness: Confirm your talk offers new insights and hasn’t been presented at DevOpsDayLA before without significant updates.
- Vendor Disclosure: Clearly indicate if your talk includes vendor content, product demos, or commercial messaging.
Submission Guidelines
How to Submit
Submit your proposal through the SCALE 24x CFP system at www.socallinuxexpo.org/scale/24x/cfp.
New to SCaLE? Create an account at https://www.socallinuxexpo.org/user/.
Returning speakers? Reset your password for 2027; your CFP account is separate from your speaker profile.
Note: DevOpsDayLA is part of SCaLE 24x. Submitting through the SCALE CFP system ensures your proposal reaches our review committee.
What You'll Need
Required Information
Talk Details:
- Title
- Topic: Select "DevOpsDayLA"
- Tags: #devops #culture #socal #ai #agentic
- Audience level
- Brief Description: One sentence, up to 255 characters
- Short Abstract: 4–5 sentences, up to 600 characters
- Long Abstract (up to 10,000 characters): background/context, specific implementation or lessons learned, key takeaways, and why it matters to the SoCal DevOps community
Speaker Information:
- Speaker bio
- Primary contact email
- Confirmation that content is fresh
Optional but Recommended
- Presentation File: Slides or outline (max 55MB)
- Message to Reviewers: Special context, A/V needs, or speaker diversity info
Timeline
- Sept 1, 2026: CFP Opens
- Nov 1, 2026: Submission deadline
- Dec 1, 2026: Acceptance notifications begin
- Apr 2, 2027: DevOpsDayLA
Questions?
Contact the DevOpsDayLA organizing team via the SCALE CFP system or [email protected] .
DevOpsDayLA 2027: AI as a Boon, Not a Goon