Tracks

Software-intensive development activities rarely start from scratch, but more often as brownfield endeavors where design and code already exist. Due to huge investments in existing code bases, it is often uneconomical to get rid of existing legacy artifacts. 
Software architects in this context are facing several challenges such as how to

• improve the quality of existing systems and/or eliminate technical debt,
• adapt legacy code to new technologies or requirements, 
• ensure that legacy and modern software architectures are armed against security attacks and adapt to constantly changing security requirements, 
• reuse and integrate legacy components in new software environments, software product lines, or ecosystems,
• enable the evolution of legacy systems,
• reverse engineer architecture of legacy systems,
• leverage AI technologies for all a subset of modernization activities
• use modern tools for conducting the aforementioned modernization activities, and many more.

In this track, we search for contributions that address case studies, AI technologies, methods, tools, patterns, technologies, and any other means for enabling successful software architecture modernization.

Software architecture aims to structure large systems, but it also necessitates creating connections between individual components. Developers, architects, and domain experts must collaborate on architecture. Ultimately, software is a socio-technical system comprised of people and software, so architecture must consider both areas.

In this context, the following topics are explored:

• Modules
• Structuring systems
• Socio-technical architecture: Interactions between architectures and people
• Agile architecture
• Collaborative architecture approaches
• Frontend architecture
• Microservices & beyond

Domain-Driven Design is a methodology for the whole software development process. In this OOP track, we will explore the roots of DDD as well as the many valuable extensions of recent years. The topics of this track will cover:

• Software architecture and design within and across bounded contexts
• Collaborative Modeling with domain experts and development teams
• Context Mapping and strategic design for large domains
• Frontend Development with distributed bounded contexts
• Dividing and updating of bounded context-specific databases
• Improving legacy with domain-driven design
• Agile development and team organization in the light of DDD

We are particularly interested in case studies, success stories and failures, innovations, and practical lessons so that the participants can apply your experiences directly to their projects.

This track addresses the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with traditional software architectures within enterprise environments. The topics of this track will cover:

• Integrating AI-specific architectures with general-purpose systems through design principles and best practices.
• Transitioning AI proofs of concepts into scalable, production-ready applications focusing on data management and DevOps for AI (MLOps and LLMOps/GenAIOps).
• Incorporating AI-assisted development tools into traditional workflows to enhance code quality and maintainability.
• Balancing the requirements of the EU AI Act and the innovation use cases.
• AI-assisted modernization of legacy systems, demonstrating tools and techniques for code refactoring and automated testing to facilitate maintenance and updates.
• Closing the data quality gap with data products, data contracts, and data architectures.

The origin of DevOps was to bring Dev and Ops together. We take a look back to see whether we have succeeded and what new graves have been created as a result. The challenge will be to close these new graves again. To explore this question, this track covers the following essential topics: 

• DevOps culture
• Infrastructure-as-Code
• Continuous Integration
• Continuous Delivery
• Build & Operation
• Automation tools
• Developer Experience
• Platform Engineering

As a PO, UX specialist, or requirement engineer, many threads come together for us, we interact with the most diverse groups of people with the most diverse goals, cultures, and ways of thinking. Even if this sometimes feels like a "mission impossible", we have a real opportunity here to overcome silos, embrace diversity, achieve clarity in communication and goals and ultimately build better products for our customers and thus generate business success. "Building bridges instead of walls", so to speak.

Exemplary topics for this track are:

• Product ownership as an integration task
• New methods and techniques, e.g. with AI support
• Dealing with legacy systems
• Design thinking and lean startup
• Innovation and business model development
• Product discovery
• Requirements engineering and business analysis
• UX/UI and customer-centricity
• Prototyping and experiments

Effective and efficient software and system development requires superior test approaches and a commitment to quality. To realize the right mix of test methods and quality measures is no easy task in real project life due to increasing demand for reliability of systems, cost efficiency, and market needs on speed, flexibility, and sustainability. This track provides practical guidance on how to address the increasing demand for reliability of systems, cost efficiency, and market needs on speed, flexibility, and sustainability and how to bridge the gaps in our test approaches. Experts from different domains present key learnings from the past as well as new directions in the field, explain approved strategies and practices and share valuable project experiences on how to make it happen.

Sample topics (but not limited to):

• New directions in test strategies and quality approaches
• Next-generation test automation and test architectures as enablers for an effective test approach
• Continuous test improvement to bridge the gaps in our test approaches
• Digitalization of testing: SaaS testing, IoT testing, (Gen) AI testing, metaverse testing
• Continuous Testing @ DevOps and beyond – what’s next?
• Testing non-functional requirements in collaboration with other stakeholders
• Effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of test and quality approaches
• Defect prevention by innovative testing

Of particular interest are case studies, success and failure stories, innovations, and practical lessons that attendees will be able to apply to their projects.

This track focuses on the synergy of people, technologies, and processes. It examines the interaction between old and new technologies, systems, and the dynamics of different departments in order to bridge the gap between theory and practice. The focus is on the diversity of target groups and the need for adapted communication for different age structures and levels of expertise. It also examines how companies can effectively close the gap between aspiration and reality - for example, customer expectations and their feasibility - through innovative collaboration models, both on-site and virtually.
Technological integration and accessibility:
We are looking for the following sample topics:

• Technological integration and accessibility
• Intercultural communication and collaboration
• Cross-age collaboration
• Integration of new technologies into existing systems
• Innovative cooperation models
• Adapted communication for different competence levels
• Bridging the gap between theory and practice
• Expectation management and feasibility
• Dynamics of different departments

Every company produces legacy and needs innovation. Some companies have well-aged software written in ancient languages. Innovation happens, where rapid evolution meets legacy, like putting a fast shrinking steam engine on rails and thus investing in the railway. Or by filtering the sounds that the human ear cannot process with faster signal processors, and thus inventing MP3. Or by ignoring management orders and continuing the tedious daily routine of optimizing the dotation of silicon with gallium nitride, thus inventing the blue LED. Innovating legacy organizations is vital for a sustainable future and aligning with initiatives like the European Green Deal. This track also hosts innovative ideas and experiences in sustainable technology.

The knowledge of ancient technology legacy, endurance in tedious work, courage for necessary insubordination, and belief in a very uncertain future are the ingredients for legacy innovation. If you want to share your experience or your expertise in legacy, systems, renovation of legacy, innovation, change in legacy organizations, or even sticking to legacy, management of innovation, we are eagerly awaiting your submissions.

The following topics are of particular interest:

• Legacy systems
• Innovative changes
• Innovator's mindset
• Knowledge
• Endurance
• Sustainable inventions
• Courage
• Insubordination

The OOP conference has repeatedly stood out as a pioneer and mediator of new trends and tools for software design, architecture, and programming. Over many years, features have been presented again and again that expand and round off the existing principles of good software development.

However, new participants in the OOP conference sometimes have the problem that they are not properly addressed because far too many principles and techniques are assumed.

In this track, we would therefore like to 

• concentrate on the basics of system design, architecture, and programming. In particular, what is a design pattern, what is the Barbara-Liskov design principle, what is a container, and what basic mechanisms exist to decouple, scale, and test?
• cover the basics that are important for developing good systems and their software. 
• provide an opportunity to ensure that the fundamentals are understood and that we don't lose ground with all the high-level features and tools.

This track delves into the essentials of modern leadership within large technology-focused corporations. Participants will explore strategies for skillfully integrating AI to enhance decision-making without becoming overly reliant on technology. Sessions will cover how to lead and collaborate effectively in AI-influenced environments, ensuring that projects align strategically with broader business goals while adhering to ethical standards.
Topics include:

• Developing leadership skills that harness AI potential without over-reliance
• Leading AI team members - and - being led by AI
• Leading through technological change and innovation
• Building and sustaining collaborative environments in tech-driven landscapes
• Strategic alignment of projects with business goals
• Promoting ethical standards in the integration of AI within business processes