02: Considering the User Journey

Ever wondered what makes a tech conference actually memorable? Rebecca Bakels, organizer of React Miami, shares the intentional design decisions, from lighting colors to 40-minute breaks, that turn a technical event into an unforgettable human experience.In this episode of Building Forward, hosts Christina Martinez and Chris Pennington from Resend sit down with Rebecca to unpack five years of lessons from running one of the most vibes-forward React conferences out there.## What's covered- How Rebecca got involved with React Miami and the story behind her sister Michelle Bakels co-founding it with G2i- Why the "hallway track" and human connection matter more than the talk lineup- Intentional design details most organizers overlook: signage, lighting, couch comfort, and attendee flow- How to plan the pace of a conference — long breaks, bottomless coffee, and a new "recovery morning" concept for 2025- What new conference organizers over-engineer vs. under-invest in- Why most technical meetups fail the social anxiety test, and what a great meetup (like Miami's Hack Night) actually looks like- Advice for anyone thinking about starting their own conference