The Power of Communities: Gamifying the experience of the AWS Community Day México attendee

By @sebastianmarines, AWS Cloud Captain @ Tecnológico de Monterrey and Sr. Cloud Engineer at Rackspace, and David Victoria, AWS Ambassador, AWS User Group Leader @ Monterrey, AWS Community Builder, and Sr. Cloud Architect @ Caylent.

This article tells the story of how Sebastián and David, two builders driven by the passion for creating better experiences for the community, built a complete serverless platform in just six days for AWS Community Day Mexico 2024.

Here, you will find the complete technical journey: from automating the registration of more than 700 attendees to creating a gamified networking platform and a digital system for sponsors. All built on a 100% serverless architecture on AWS.

It's not just a story about technology; it's a testament to the power of tech communities and how the combination of technical knowledge, determination, and a good dose of coffee (and a few beers) can transform the way we connect and learn together.

If you are a technical event organizer, a cloud enthusiast, or simply someone interested in how technology can improve real experiences, this story is for you.

The Power of Communities

Tech communities are much more than monthly meetings or occasional events. I know this because my own story is a testimony to it. As an AWS community leader in Mexico, I have seen how shared knowledge and genuine connections can transform careers and lives.

My journey in the AWS community began as a participant, attending events and absorbing knowledge from other builders. Today, I have the privilege of leading these initiatives and speaking at events throughout Latin America and the United States. Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, Peru, Argentina—every country, every event, every connection has reinforced my conviction: Technological communities are catalysts for social mobility.

"Your network is your net worth" - The connections we build in the tech community are bridges to opportunities, where students can connect with leaders who open doors to first jobs and junior developers find mentors for their professional growth. It's not just about technology, but about creating real opportunities.

The Challenge: AWS Community Day Mexico 2023

The first AWS Community Day Mexico in 2023 was a milestone: we brought together almost 400 builders and offered more than 35 technical sessions in a single day. As a lead organizer, it was incredibly gratifying to see the auditorium filled with people eager for knowledge. However, as a builder, I couldn't help but notice areas of opportunity: long lines at registration, an agenda that couldn't accommodate last-minute changes, and the need to facilitate better connections between participants.

For the 2024 edition, Sebastián and I decided to do what we builders do best: build a solution. But not just any solution—one that enhances those connections that make communities so valuable, facilitates networking between people who are normally reserved (yes, I'm talking about us engineers), and helps create those moments of connection that can change careers.

The first event left us with clear metrics that we needed to improve. Each check-in process took approximately 1 minute: searching the name in the Eventbrite system, verifying the registration, manually typing the badge, and delivering it. With 400 attendees, this meant potentially over 6 person-hours spent just registering. The reality was that we had waiting lines of up to 40 minutes. For a day-long event, this was unacceptable.

Opportunity Areas

The experience of the first event left us with three main challenges clearly identified:

1. The Agenda
   
   In an event with 35 parallel sessions, changes are inevitable. A speaker arriving late, a session running longer than planned, or a last-minute room change—our printed agenda became obsolete as soon as the day began.

2. The Accreditation Process
   
   The manual method was not only slow but also prone to errors. Volunteers had to handwrite names on the badges, which sometimes resulted in mistakes or illegible badges.

3. The Sponsor Experience
   
   In the first edition, we implemented a physical "passport" system where attendees had to collect stickers from each sponsor. While the idea was good, manual execution limited the value for both sponsors and attendees.

4. The Human Element
   
   Perhaps the most significant challenge was something less tangible but equally important: facilitating meaningful connections between attendees. As an attendee of many technology events, I have observed that we engineers often need an "excuse" to start conversations. We wanted to create that justification in a way that felt natural and valuable.

Six days before the 2024 edition, we made a risky but bold decision: automate the entire process. As builders, we knew we had the tools and knowledge to do it. AWS provided us with all the necessary serverless stack, and our team had the technical expertise.

The challenge was not just technical. We needed a solution that could:

• Dramatically reduce registration times
• Facilitate real-time updates to the agenda
• Provide tangible value to sponsors
• Create natural networking opportunities
• Be easy to use for both staff and attendees
• Be built and tested in less than a week

What began as a series of logistical problems became an opportunity to demonstrate the power of technology to improve human experiences. And so, with a lot of coffee (and a few beers) and determination, we began to build what would become a complete platform for community events.

The Agenda: Creating a Dynamic Source of Truth

In an event with +40 technical sessions, the agenda is much more than a simple schedule—it is a vital tool that needs to adapt to the inevitable changes that occur during the day. To address this, we built a dynamic and real-time agenda system integrated into our serverless architecture.

The Problem

Printed agendas are static and prone to obsolescence as soon as the event begins. Changes such as room swaps, session extensions, or speaker delays cannot be reflected quickly, leaving attendees frustrated and confused. Additionally, managing such a vast array of sessions and their details manually is a logistical challenge.

Our goal was to create an agenda that:

1. Automatically reflected changes in real time.
2. Provided attendees with an intuitive and up-to-date source of information.
3. Was simple to maintain and scalable.

How We Solved It

We leveraged Amplify to build and deploy a fully static website for the agenda. Updates were triggered directly from Notion, our central knowledge base, ensuring that any changes were propagated seamlessly across the agenda.

The agenda and session data were managed in Notion, where updates could be made dynamically by the event team. Using the Notion API, we fetched the latest agenda information whenever changes were detected.

When an update occurred in Notion:

• A webhook trigger initiated the Amplify pipeline.
• Amplify fetched the updated data from Notion via a build script.
• A fully updated static website for the agenda was generated and deployed automatically.

By generating a static website, we eliminated the need for dynamic backend resources, reducing complexity and cost. The static assets were deployed to S3 and served via CloudFront for low-latency delivery.

Each session included:

• Title and description
• Speaker details with LinkedIn profiles
• Room location
• Session time and duration
• Technical level indicator (e.g., L100, L200, L300)
• Sessions were grouped by time slots.
• Users could filter and search for specific sessions or topics.
• The UI dynamically adjusted to highlight ongoing sessions and sort completed sessions to the bottom.

The system was designed to keep relevant information always visible:

• Completed sessions were shown in gray
• Completed sessions were automatically moved to the bottom of the list
• Upcoming sessions always appeared at the top

Using Amazon Bedrock, we automatically translated session descriptions into Spanish and enhanced them with additional insights, such as why the session was relevant or its key takeaways.

To enhance attendee engagement and provide actionable insights for future events, we added a "Favorite" button for each session:

• When an attendee clicks the "Favorite" button, a request is sent to our backend.
• Under the Hood: The backend registers the action (like or remove the like) and updates the count of favorites for that session in a database.

The feature allowed attendees to personalize their agendas. The data collected helped us identify trends and preferences.

How It Looks

The Results

The dynamic agenda system transformed the event experience:

• Near Real-Time Updates: Any changes to the schedule, room assignments, or session details were updated within minutes.
• Improved Accessibility: Attendees could access the agenda anytime, anywhere, without the need for an internet connection after the website was loaded.
• Streamlined Operations: The event team no longer had to worry about manual agenda updates or reprinting schedules.
• Scalability: The static website easily handled high traffic without any concerns about server load or backend bottlenecks.
• Actionable Insights: The "Favorite" feature provided critical data for identifying trends and making better room allocations for high-demand sessions in future events.

By leveraging Notion, AWS Amplify, and a fully static architecture, we created a modern, reliable, and scalable solution that not only solved logistical challenges but also improved the overall attendee experience and future event planning.

The Accreditation Process: Automating First Contact

The registration process is not just an administrative requirement; it is the first point of contact with the attendee and sets the tone for the entire event. For the 2024 edition, with more than 700 people arriving in a three-hour period, we needed a solution that was fast, reliable, and, above all, provided a professional experience.

The Problem

In the previous event, the process was completely manual: one volunteer searched for the attendee on Eventbrite, another wrote the badge by hand, and a third delivered the materials. At least one minute per person—an eternity, especially for those waiting in line.

How We Solved It

My first reaction was to look for existing integrations. I researched options with Zapier and IFTTT but discovered two things. First, Eventbrite doesn't have any plugins or integrations for this purpose. Second, Eventbrite offers native webhooks, which opened up a world of possibilities. This meant we could receive real-time notifications every time someone checked in to the event.

Webhooks are like automated messengers on the internet. When a specific event occurs in an app (for example, when someone checks in to Eventbrite), the app automatically sends an HTTP POST notification to a URL that you specify. It's as if the app tells you, "Hey! This just happened," without you having to constantly ask.

In more technical terms, a webhook is an HTTP POST request that an application sends to a specific URL when a certain event occurs. Unlike traditional APIs, where you have to make a request to obtain information (polling), webhooks deliver information automatically as soon as the event happens, making them more efficient and real-time.

The solution we built was elegant in its simplicity:

When a staff member checked in on Eventbrite (either by scanning the attendee's QR with their phone or searching their name in the system from a computer), Eventbrite automatically sent a webhook to our endpoint with the ID of the user they had just checked in. This allowed us to process the check-in and generate the badge instantly, without needing to constantly poll Eventbrite for updates.

A Lambda function received this webhook and performed several critical tasks:

• Queried the Eventbrite API to obtain all the user data: name, company, position, email, phone, gender, and other demographic information.
• Stored this information in a DynamoDB table.
• Sent a message to an SQS queue.

On the laptop where check-ins were managed, we implemented a small Python script that acted as a poller. This script constantly monitored the SQS queue and, upon receiving a new message, automatically generated a PNG with the badge label in a 3x2 inch format, including the attendee's name, company, position, and a unique QR code.

Each badge included a unique QR that served as a digital key throughout the event. This QR was not just an identifier; it was the gateway to the entire event experience, from networking to interactions with sponsors.

How It Looks

The Results

With a $100 USD printer and self-adhesive labels, we reduced the total processing time to just 19 seconds per attendee—from the moment they arrived at the registration table to the moment they left with their personalized badge.

This new process was not only faster; it was also more professional and eliminated human errors in badge generation. Attendees received a professionally printed badge, with clear and consistent information.

Automating registration taught us several valuable lessons:

1. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. We didn't need complex integrations; a webhook and a well-designed serverless architecture were enough.
2. Thinking about the end-to-end process is crucial. Not only did we automate badge generation, but we ensured that the generated QR was useful throughout the event.
3. Speed matters, but experience matters more. The new system was not only fast but also provided a professional and organized first impression.

Automating registration was just the first step. This unique QR we generated would become the foundation for an entire interaction platform during the event.

The Sponsor Experience

Sponsors are the backbone of community events, but they need to see a tangible return on their investment. In our first edition, we implemented a physical "passport" system: attendees had to get stickers from each sponsor to participate in the prize raffles. While the idea was good, manual execution limited the real value for all parties involved.

The Problem

The manual passport system had several drawbacks:

1. Limited Engagement Tracking: Sponsors had no way to know who visited their booth beyond manually keeping track, which was time-consuming and prone to error.
2. Inefficient Process: The physical sticker system required printing, managing, and distributing stickers, adding unnecessary logistics for the organizing team.
3. Lack of Follow-Up Opportunities: Sponsors couldn’t take notes about attendees or follow up effectively, leading to missed opportunities.
4. Unscalable for Growth: As the number of attendees and sponsors increased, the manual process became less feasible, leading to delays and reduced attendee satisfaction.

How We Solved It

In the 2024 edition, we decided to completely digitize this experience. The same QR code used for networking now became a digital passport. Instead of physical stickers, we implemented a system of digital stamps that appeared over each sponsor's logo when the attendee interacted with them.

With only six days until the event, developing native applications for iOS or Android was not feasible. Instead, we created a web-app focused on the sponsor experience. The system was simple but effective:

1. Sponsor Access:

   • Each sponsor received:
     • A unique access key
     • A sponsor ID
     • Access to their personalized dashboard

2. Attendee Interaction:

   • By scanning an attendee's QR code, the sponsor could see:
     • Attendee name
     • Role/position
     • Current company
     • An area to take specific notes, such as "Interested in our positions"

3. Digital Stamps:

   • The action of "stamping the passport" was digital and automatic, providing real-time updates to the attendee's profile.

Gamifying The Attendee Experience

When attendees reviewed their profiles, they could see digital stamps over the logos of the sponsors they had visited. This created an engaging visual experience and allowed attendees to keep a clear record of their progress.

Attendees who completed all the digital stamps qualified to participate in the final raffle of the event. This incentive created a natural flow of traffic to the sponsors' booths, but with an additional component of value: the interactions were more meaningful because sponsors could record notes and follow up later.

How It Looks

The architecture showcases how the system streamlined interactions between attendees and sponsors. Each component, from the QR code scanning to the real-time dashboard updates, was designed for efficiency and scalability.

The Results

The digitization of the traditional passport process provided multiple benefits:

1. Real-Time Data on Interactions:
   Sponsors received instant updates on who visited their booths, enabling better engagement tracking.

2. Ability to Take Specific Notes:
   Sponsors could record detailed notes about attendees, improving follow-up opportunities.

3. Structured Lead Qualification:
   The digital system provided a streamlined way for sponsors to identify and prioritize potential leads.

4. Clear Engagement Metrics:
   Sponsors could see how many attendees visited their booths and analyze the effectiveness of their interactions.

What started as a simple digitization of a manual process evolved into a valuable lead qualification tool for our sponsors. The system not only enhanced the attendee experience but also delivered measurable ROI for sponsors, cementing their satisfaction and ensuring their continued support for future events.

The Human Element: Facilitating Networking

One of the biggest challenges at technical events is breaking down networking barriers. As engineers, we tend to be reserved people and, although the value of connecting with other professionals is undeniable (as my favorite phrase says: "Your network is your net worth"), we often find it difficult to take that first step.

The Problem

Technical events often face networking challenges due to the following factors:

1. Introversion Among Engineers: Many attendees, especially those in technical roles, may feel shy or uncomfortable initiating conversations.
2. Lack of Structured Opportunities: Without a defined way to start interactions, attendees tend to stick with people they already know.
3. Missed Opportunities: Valuable connections are often lost simply because there’s no "excuse" to connect.
4. Limited Data on Interactions: Organizers and sponsors lack visibility into how attendees interact, making it difficult to measure engagement or optimize future events.

How We Solved It

The system we designed began when the attendee scanned their own QR for the first time. At that moment, they could initialize their profile in two ways:

• Using their registered email
• Entering the last 6 digits of the phone number they registered

Once their identity was verified, the attendee found their pre-filled information and could personalize it. The system allowed them to:

• Update their email
• Modify their phone number
• Decide what information they wanted to share publicly
• Set a personal access PIN
• Add their social networks:
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter (Formerly X)
  • GitHub
  • Instagram
• Supplement crucial demographic data for the event:
  • Gender
  • Age range
  • Area of greatest interest in the cloud
  • Profile (student, junior, senior, career changer)

The PIN: The Key to Real Networking

The PIN was one of the most innovative elements of our system. We didn't want people to simply scan QRs from a distance or from photos; we wanted to promote real connections. Therefore, we implemented a system where you could only access another attendee's information if you knew their PIN.

This small detail forced a real interaction: People had to talk to each other to exchange their PINs before they could connect. It was our way of ensuring that connections were intentional and meaningful.

To encourage connections, we implemented a rewards system. At the end of the day, the attendee who generated the most genuine connections would receive the best prize of the event. Key rules included:

• A person scanning themselves only counted once
• Each connection required a PIN exchange
• The system detected and prevented gaming attempts

To maintain the integrity of the networking system, we implemented Fingerprint.com. This tool allowed us to uniquely identify each visitor, even if:

• They changed their IP address
• They used different browsers
• Cookies or cache were deleted
• They tried other techniques to appear as a different user

This implementation was crucial to maintaining the authenticity of the interactions and ensuring that the gamification of networking was fair.

This form of digital networking not only benefited attendees but also provided us with valuable data for future events and sponsors:

• Demographic profiles of attendees
• Cloud areas of interest
• Experience levels
• Networking patterns

This information, while always respecting user privacy and data-sharing preferences, helped us better understand our community and design improved experiences for future events.

How It Looks

The Results

The QR and PIN system transformed the dynamics of the event. Instead of attendees looking at their phones or sticking with familiar acquaintances, we observed:

• Genuine conversations between strangers
• Structured professional information exchanges
• More meaningful and targeted networking
• Greater interaction between different experience levels

This solution demonstrated that technology, when well-designed, can solve not only technical problems but also social challenges. In our case, we turned a common barrier in technical events—resistance to networking—into a fluid and valuable experience for all participants.

The networking system achieved tangible results:

1. Increased Engagement: More than 65% of attendees actively participated in networking by exchanging PINs and making connections.
2. Higher Quality Connections: The structured system led to meaningful conversations rather than superficial interactions.
3. Valuable Insights: The data collected provided a better understanding of attendee demographics, interests, and interaction patterns.
4. Improved Feedback: Post-event surveys showed that attendees appreciated the ease of connecting and the added value of networking at the event.
5. Sponsor Satisfaction: Sponsors gained insights into attendee interests and profiles, enabling them to follow up with qualified leads effectively.

Opening the Code

When we built this solution in six days, we weren’t just solving an immediate problem for AWS Community Day Mexico. We were creating something that could benefit other tech communities around the world.

• GitHub Agenda repository
• GitHub Networking-Passport repository

As an AWS community, we strongly believe in the power of sharing knowledge and tools. Therefore, we have decided to release the entire platform as open source, implemented entirely with AWS SAM.

Why SAM?

The choice of AWS SAM was intentional. SAM allows us to define our entire serverless infrastructure in a declarative and simple way using YAML. This means that other communities will be able to:

• Deploy all infrastructure to their own AWS accounts with simple commands like sam build and sam deploy.
• Easily understand how the solution is built thanks to SAM’s clear syntax.
• Modify and adapt the template according to their specific needs.
• Test Lambda functions locally with sam local.
• Contribute improvements and new features.

The Gift for Other Communities

Our work on this platform is more than just solving a problem for a single event—it’s about creating something that can elevate community-driven events everywhere. By sharing this code openly, we’re handing over a toolkit that empowers other communities to craft exceptional experiences. Here's what we’re offering:

• Tested Solutions: The platform has already proven its value in three major events—AWS Community Day Mexico, AWS Community Day Chile, and AWS Student Community Day Mexico—each with unique challenges that it successfully addressed.
• End-to-End Serverless Implementation: Built on a fully serverless architecture, this platform demonstrates how cutting-edge technology can simplify event logistics while remaining cost-effective and scalable.
• Seamless Accreditation System: Automate the tedious check-in process, reduce human error, and enhance the attendee experience right from the start.
• Engaging Networking Platform: Foster meaningful connections with innovative features like QR-based profiles and PIN exchanges, turning passive attendees into active participants.
• Empowered Sponsors: Provide sponsors with tools to capture leads, track engagement, and ensure a tangible return on their investment.
• Dynamic Agenda Management: Say goodbye to outdated schedules and hello to real-time updates that keep your attendees informed and engaged.

The Invitation

This is more than just sharing code—it’s an invitation to join a movement. The builder community thrives on collaboration, and this platform is a testament to what we can achieve together. Now, it’s your turn to take this foundation and make it your own.

• Use It: Deploy the platform at your own events and experience the transformation it brings to logistics, engagement, and satisfaction.
• Improve It: Add new features, tweak the architecture, and push its capabilities further. Your contributions can make it better for everyone.
• Adapt It: Customize the platform to suit the unique needs of your community, your audience, and your goals.
• Share Your Journey: Every implementation is a story worth telling. Share your challenges, successes, and learnings to inspire others in the community.

Because communities are built on more than just code—they’re built on connections, shared knowledge, and the drive to make things better together.

Let’s build a future where every event feels seamless, every connection feels meaningful, and every community feels empowered. This is just the beginning.

Comments

[Sebastian Marines]

Man, what a ride! Building this in 6 days was intense, but seeing hundreds of engineers connect at the event made it worth it. Thanks @vikomex for jumping into this project with me!