Conference-Driven Development - Discovery Engines or Disappointing Disasters?

Explore the controversial concept of Conference-Driven Development (CDD) in this 33-minute conference talk that investigates whether using CFP deadlines as structured R&D sprints can ethically accelerate open-source innovation or risks eroding reviewer trust. Examine a hypothetical CDD workflow that follows the pattern of submit → prototype → feedback → release → present, while analyzing it through three critical lenses: ambition, transparency, and program integrity. Learn about proposed ethical guardrails including radical transparency, pre-conference artifact pledges, and fallback "lessons learned" narratives that could frame responsible implementation. Discover how project maintainers can identify truly compelling conference sessions and find inspiration to advance innovative ideas beyond the presentation stage. Weigh the potential benefits of increased passion-project velocity against the dangers of over-promising to conference audiences and program committees. Gain insights into the balance between accelerating open-source development and maintaining the integrity of conference programming, ultimately leaving with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about whether and how your community should consider adopting Conference-Driven Development practices.