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<hr /> In French, sur la table rolls off the tongue like a light-bodied Beaujolais, beckoning for another pour. Translated to English, it means “on the table” – the place where we break bread and cultivate conversation. As such, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.surlatable.com/">Sur La Table</a> is a fitting name for a company that focuses on food and dining. The upscale retailer specializes in selling high-quality kitchenware, cookware, cutlery, bakeware, and other home goods. They even offer cooking classes and a popular blog with all kinds of food tips.For <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mokshika-sharma-profile/">Mokshika Sharma</a>, the company’s Vice President of Product and Technology, the latest dish on the menu is composability. As she shared during our discussion at “<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-deep-dish-on-composable-6-tasty-takeaways-from-the-mach-alliances-2025-conference">The Composable Conference”</a> in Chicago, Sur La Table is already adopting a more modular posture across its stack, allowing Mokshika to expand and grow PE holding company <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.cscgeneration.com/our-companies">CSC Generation’s</a> investment in the kitchenware retailer. “My job is really the full umbrella of anything that has electrons and supporting retail,” she said, laughing about the atomic reference. Her role also encompasses some big-ticket requirements like defining the e-commerce product vision, growth and revenue optimization, cost and operational enhancement, and more.The even bigger mandate: Supporting CSC Generation’s mission to help distressed brands and organizations climb out of their technical debt and achieve the next level of technical competency. CSC brings a platform of retail practices into automation and AI, supporting a portfolio that includes Backcountry, One Kings Lane, Touch of Modern, and more. Based in Austin, Texas, Mokshika is a passionate technologist with a heart for brand engineering. She's amassed a deep background in digital retail, an area where MACH principles have proven their potential. She also has the industry chops to back it up, serving as a CIO Council Member at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://nrf.com/">National Retail Federation (NRF).</a>Retail has long been a sweet spot for the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-launches-new-mach-ai-exchange-to-help-enterprises-streamline-ai-adoption">MACH Alliance,</a> which clearly attracted Mokshika to its message. As you'll glean from our conversation, she had some key takeaways from the conference that might set the table for future success.<h3 id="a-varietal-that’s-composable-forward">A varietal that’s composable forward</h3>Aligning with the session tracks at “The Composable Conference,” Mokshika admitted to being “MACH Curious” – and as a first-time attendee, that makes sense. But a few minutes into our conversation, it was evident that she’s more capable than curious – and the journey to the MACH Alliance community was a codifying moment.“It really helped me understand how the Alliance is supporting the initiatives we’re already doing in our organization,” she said. This maps to some of the existing best practices Sur La Table is already engaging in around headless and other resources. The conference, in her mind, was more relevant because it reinforced that momentum while providing access to a community that could help drive the next steps. <h3 id="legacy-recipes?-c’est-la-vie">Legacy recipes? C’est la vie</h3>“I think the dream of every technologist is, of course, to be composable 100%,” Mokshika said lightly, although she admitted this dream won’t likely be fully realized. But that’s not the point. In her view, it’s about creating and investing in reusable components – building blocks, so to speak – that can be leveraged well into the future.Of course, one of the roadblocks to composability is the reality of legacy systems. According to Mokshika, there are many legacy processes and tools in her line of work, and much of it is heavily siloed. Breaking it apart takes a lot of careful thought and consideration.“Sometimes it’s a composable answer,” she said. “And sometimes, you don’t need to build the rocket ship, and you can think about what the early starting point is to get to composable.”Mokshika also pointed out the realities of what she called “operational hazards.” These occur when you create a system that is inherently more complex, ultimately driving the need for more people and oversight. To that end, digital leaders and practitioners need to plan carefully as they dive into composable waters. “Now you have to support all these pieces,” she explained. “It’s a very thoughtful exercise you have to do in retail.”<h3 id="setting-the-table-for-success">Setting the table for success</h3>There were a number of ah-ha moments for Mokshika, but she really zeroed in on some key activators around the community collaboration, and where the MACH Alliance has focused its human expertise to support a successful knowledge transfer. “I think the big takeaway is how much people are actually pushing the boundaries of what companies are building for legacy brands to consider and take care of other people’s roadmaps,” Mokshika said. “They’re here, talking to you, asking for advice – and at the same table.”Being at a more focused event also resulted in more substantive conversations. “I’ve obviously been to a lot of retail conferences that are very large, and you don’t have this chance to do a one-on-one conversation as much as I was able to do here,” she commented, “and more so, I didn’t get to do it through a technical lens.”That last point was codified in sessions that featured slideshows with architectures, where Mokshika noted that people were taking pictures of the diagrams and schematics. “I guess the magic here is that they’re actually talking about how to think about your whole ecosystem, and not just the one thing that I’m trying to sell.”While still new to the community, Mokshika’s composable maturity might already be well ahead of the curve. But the point of the conference is to move people and brands to the next step – and that seemed to be the outcome in her case. “I wish I had come here earlier when first joining retail,” she says. “It would have been a great start of my journey.”Take five minutes and join Mokshika at the MACH table. C'est si bon. <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/d4IL8-XkSag"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d4IL8-XkSag" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:30.46%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/11/cms-summit-25.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-summit-25"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">CMS Summit 25</a></h4>May 13-14, 2025 – Frankfurt, GermanyDon't miss the first European edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community! CMS Summit 25 will bring together top-notch speakers, our renowned learning format, and engaging social events. Hear from leading practitioners like Deutsche Bahn, Dr. Oetker, and more – and join customers, agencies, and CMS vendors as we discuss current trends and what's ahead for the content and digital experience fields. Connect and network at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference focused on CMS. Space is limited for this exclusive event, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmssummit25">so book your seats today.</a> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

MACHtales: Voices from “The Composable Conference” with Mokshika Sharma of Sur La Table

matt-garrepy

The ‘Deep Dish’ on Composable: 6 Tasty Takeaways from the MACH Alliance’s 2025 Conference

<hr /> As we turn the corner towards summer in the Northern Hemisphere, things are heating up in the composable world.Fresh off the publication of chiefmartec's <a target="_blank" href="https://martechmap.typeform.com/MartechDay2024">2024 State of Martech Report</a> – where composability was a key topic across the 14,106 products in the marketing technology landscape – we're also a month away from the industry's premier composable conference: <a target="_blank" href="https://machalliance.org/events/mach-three">MACH THREE</a>.This is the third edition of the annual event hosted by the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.machalliance.org/">MACH Alliance</a>, a group of independent tech companies dedicated to advocating for open, best-of-breed technology ecosystems. Buoyed by an array of sessions that aim to educate and elevate the understanding of MACH (Microservices, APIs, Cloud-first SaaS, Headless), the MACH THREE event promises to inspire attendees to “supercharge their composable journey."Today, the organization announced some juicy details regarding the roster for MACH THREE, which will be held in New York City from June 17 - 18. This is the first time the conference is slated for North America, signaling an important shift in focus toward the U.S. – which has been slower to adopt MACH but is now showing accelerated growth. In fact, an analysis provided in the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-publishes-first-annual-report-showcases-industry-impact-and-plans-for-2024">MACH Alliance's first annual report</a> – published in January of this year – underscores the opportunities ahead for the addressable U.S. market, and where the Alliance sees future potential to expand the MACH footprint. <a target="_blank" href="https://register.machalliance.org/hubfs/Agenda%20MACH%20THREE.pdf">The MACH THREE agenda</a> will feature heavy hitters like IKEA, MARS, and Ulta Beauty. But it will also include presentations from influential global brands like H&amp;M, Kraft Heinz, Mattel, Rally House, Clarks, Saks Fifth Avenue, and OBI. During the two-day conference, these industry leaders will discuss the innovative digital experiences they have created using MACH architectures, as well as the many benefits and challenges of embracing digital transformation with a composable strategy. “MACH THREE is not about technology providers sharing sales pitches or demos, it’s about brands showcasing their digital strategies, what worked and what didn’t,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-hall-4b14a945/">Holly Hall</a>, managing director at the MACH Alliance. “MACH THREE is an essential part of the MACH Alliance’s commitment to being a facilitator of education and advocacy around MACH principles, especially in the U.S. as this market becomes a strong advocate and adopter of MACH technologies.”The conference is free, and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-two-conference-wrap-six-takeaways-from-the-composable-event-of-the-year">registration is open</a> to business and technology leaders by application. They even offer a rebate program to cover travel expenses, which is a limited offer but nonetheless an attractive give (better act quickly on this one).CMS Critic attended last year's MACH TWO conference in Amsterdam and covered it in detail. For a glimpse at what to expect in New York, <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-two-conference-wrap-six-takeaways-from-the-composable-event-of-the-year">read what this world-class event offered in 2023.</a><h3 id="a-packed-agenda-focused-on-mach">A packed agenda focused on MACH</h3>As retailers and brands strive to create a flexible, future-proofed digital ecosystem that promotes the best customer experience possible, MACH architecture has emerged as a leading differentiator. According to the 2023 MACH Alliance Annual Report, 85% of respondents have increased MACH investment in the past 12 months – and the U.S. has now surpassed Europe in the rate of MACH adoption. This trend was already being felt at last year's MACH TWO Conference. During the media session, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellygoetsch/">Kelly Goetsch</a> – former MACH Alliance Chair and CSO of <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/commercetools">commercetool</a> – observed that MACH “now feels like the default,” and that “we’re no longer advocating from the sidelines.” The MACH Alliance's annual conference series provides the connective tissue for the MACH movement, bringing together a community of members and customers to highlight successful use cases and real-world applications. This year's MACH THREE promises to explore and educate about the continued evolution of MACH through the voices of industry-leading brands. This includes mainstage keynotes from Kraft Heinz, H&amp;M, and more that will showcase MACH successes from initial deployment to long-term results.Along with the keynotes, MACH THREE will feature leadership sessions and peer-to-peer discussions that will provide insights into how brands can succeed in their composable journeys with unparalleled agility. As with previous events, there will be focused “MACH in Practice” workshops to help educate attendees on real-world MACH implementations that foster competitive advantages.Attendees will also have access to “MACH Creates” sessions, which will highlight how a MACH foundation can give brands the flexibility to experiment with the next generation of AI-driven SaaS.“From listening to the head of digital experience at The Kraft Heinz Company talk about the CPG revolution to hearing the senior director of digital engineering at Ulta Beauty explain how to innovate under pressure, MACH THREE will be an educational and inspirational experience for attendees,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-future-is-composable-a-conversation-with-new-mach-alliance-president-casper-rasmussen">Casper Rasmussen</a>, president of the MACH Alliance. “By being open and transparent about all facets of MACH technology, attendees will leave feeling confident they have the 360-degree picture needed to approach their own digital transformations.”<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>Despite its meteoric rise, MACH continues to be an exotic topic in the annals of techdom. While it has appreciated significant growth, it still represents a small piece of the overall pie. The trend of composability is certainly more ubiquitous, but it, too, struggles to be clearly understood due to a myriad of mixed marketing messages. As we've reported, this is visible in the competitive morass betwixt legacy monolithic DXPs and headless CMSes, many of whom claim to be composable, though not all MACH. In an open letter to the market, the Alliance <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-openly-invites-companies-claiming-mach-to-apply-for-certification">openly invited companies</a> that are claiming to the MACH (affectionately referred to as “MACH Washing”) to apply for certification in an effort to reduce confusion for buyers. That's why education is so important – and why it continues to be a key pillar of the MACH Alliance. Expressing this through digital content is table stakes, but live events provide a tangible backdrop for focusing on solutions, sharing ideas, and experiencing the real people behind the successes and failures (it's true, not all MACH stories have a happy ending). As Holly Hall also pointed out, this isn't a typical tradeshow where the primary motion is sales – and that's a refreshing distinction. Networking and the precipitous “elbow-rubbing” are par for the course; as such, connections and deals may emerge effervescently. But the agenda is laser-focused on learning, and that makes the experience more enriching. With over <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-surges-past-100-members-caps-2023-as-a-milestone-year">100 members in its composable cabal</a>, the MACH Alliance keeps demonstrating its relevance to the market. That said, it isn't without its detractors, and that feedback has resulted in a heightened commitment to transparency and a resolve to open its membership to products within larger brands. It's evolving, and the vision for its roadmap is best experienced by inspirational leaders like Casper Rasmussen during an interactive keynote with Q&amp;As.  The bench of brands on display will provide robust examples of MACH at scale. More importantly, these industry leaders lend greater credibility to the adoption of MACH, and having so many assembled in one place is a great opportunity to learn and reflect, regardless of where you might be on your MACH journey. It will be difficult to one-up the MACH TWO event from an experiential perspective. Last year's conference was world-class in every dimension, from substance to location to accouterments. Even the food reinforced the organization's commitment to DEI with catering from a European B-corp focused on sustainable practices. Hosting the event in a cosmopolitan city like New York aligns with the tenets of the MACH Alliance, announcing its focus on U.S. soil with an elevated level of sophistication. The Big Apple is at the epicenter of technology and retail, and multiple industry brands are headquartered here. It's also a city of experiences, and we can be assured that many of its best features will be on display when the event kicks off next month.<h3 id="mach-takes-manhattan">MACH takes Manhattan</h3>Will we see you at MACH THREE in NYC? If so, we'd love to hear about your experiences with MACH and composable.CMS Critic's <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/matt-garrepy">Matt Garrepy</a> is judging the MACH Impact Awards for the second year in a row. These awards celebrate the best of the best in composable use cases, with some incredibly innovative examples of MACH in action. <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-two-conference-wrap-six-takeaways-from-the-composable-event-of-the-year">Check out an overview</a> of last year's awards and the winners. To learn more about MACH THREE and register to attend, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.machalliance.org/events/mach-three">www.machalliance.org/events/mach-three</a> <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

IKEA, MARS, Ulta Beauty and Influential Brands to be Featured at MACH THREE Conference

cms-critic-staff

<a href="https://www.contentstack.com/" target="_blank">Contentstack</a>, a leading composable digital experience platform, has announced the details of its annual customer conference <a href="https://hopin.com/events/contentcon-2023-b457f92b-1b36-4b14-ab98-2e9997fd6326/registration" target="_blank">ContentCon</a>, which will be held May 8-10, 2023. The conference will host in-person attendees at the <a href="https://www.hotelvanzandt.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjwov6hBhBsEiwAvrvN6BrprCkd8CfhkkHMLTmec3hO_vjpADrx_azcyRskPIA22yckdrggGhoCUDIQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Hotel Van Zandt</a> in Austin, Texas, with an exciting lineup of speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities.
Attendees who cannot make the trip to the Lone Star state can also register to attend virtually and for free.
<h2>Who’s who at ContentCon?</h2>
Contentstack just revealed its keynote speakers for the event, which include an all-star lineup of strategic business leaders, thought leaders, and composable evangelists.
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/heylgo/" target="_blank">Laura Gassner Otting</a> – Best-Selling Author, Catalyst, and Executive Coach
Laura inspires people to push past the doubt and indecision that keep great ideas in limbo by helping audiences think bigger and accept greater challenges that reach beyond their current, limited scope of belief.
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/julietteolah/" target="_blank">Juliette Olah</a> – Senior Senior Manager, Editorial Content at <a href="https://www.booking.com/?aid=2062892&amp;label=147268094501561094234084590185684619184&amp;anid=147268094501561094234084590185684619184" target="_blank">Booking.com</a>
Juliette leads and inspires happy teams who delight audiences with awesome content. Juliette's keynote will cover The Art and Science of Content Strategy.
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardbilton/" target="_blank">Richard Bilton</a> – Director of Technology at Leesa Sleep
With a background in sales, development, and eCommerce, Richard helps businesses see the value of the website as their superstar salesman that never sleeps. Richard will share How Leesa Sleep is Realizing the Personalization Dream.
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjmontgomery/" target="_blank">Mindy Montgomery</a> – Associate Director, Product Management, ASICS
Mindy has deep expertise in consulting and transforming industries through technology. Mindy's keynote will be a guide to surviving RFPs, titled It Takes a Village to Raise a Platform.”
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jurrevanruth/" target="_blank">Jurre van Ruth</a> – Strategic Program Manager, ‘Composable DXP’, at PostNL
Jurre helps PostNL, a mail and logistics solutions provider, build the future of delivery from the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg). Jurre's keynote will address Headless as an Accelerator for Innovation.
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nehasampat/" target="_blank">Neha Sampat</a> – Founder and CEO at Contentstack
An outspoken advocate for equality &amp; women leaders, Neha was named Female Tech Trailblazer in 2020, CEO of the Year by Aragon in 2018, and an “SF Business Times 40 under 40” honoree in 2015.
<h2>What to expect</h2>
While promoting the event on its website, Contentstack stated it is “calling all status-quo-busters to join the composable future.” This customer-focused event promises to empower new Contentstack users or seasoned veterans to elevate their skills and expertise in composable technology and composable leadership.
Contentstack knows something about customer satisfaction. One of its promises to users is <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/contentstack-launches-new-marketplace-to-accelerate-composable-digital-experience-innovation/">“Care Without Compromise,”</a> which helps customers find solutions often using cross-vendor resolutions.
Throughout the event, attendees can stop by the Contentstack Help Bar for expert advice or attend an expert-led workshop to hone their knowledge about the composable space. Participants can also expect vibrant discussions at one of the many networking events.
For more information on logistics and details of the event, please <a href="https://hopin.com/events/contentcon-2023-b457f92b-1b36-4b14-ab98-2e9997fd6326/registration" target="_blank">register here</a>.
<h2>About Contentstack</h2>
<a href="https://www.contentstack.com/" target="_blank">Contentstack</a> – the Content Experience Platform (CXP) category leader – empowers marketers and developers to deliver composable digital experiences at the speed of their imagination. Companies such as ASICS, Chase, Express, Holiday Inn, Icelandair, Mattel, McDonald's, Mitsubishi, Riot Games, and Shell trust Contentstack to power their most critical content experiences with uncompromising scale and dependability. Famous for its Care without Compromise™, Contentstack has achieved the industry's highest customer satisfaction rating. Contentstack is also a founder of the MACH Alliance, setting the industry agenda for open and composable technology that is Microservices-based, API-first, Cloud-native SaaS, and Headless. Learn more at <a href="http://www.contentstack.com/" target="_blank">http://www.contentstack.com</a>.

Contentstack Presents the ‘Future of Composable’ at ContentCon, May 8-10

mk-patterson

When acclaimed country singer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Nelson" target="_blank">Willie Nelson</a> penned his biopic song <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Road_Again_(Willie_Nelson_song)" target="_blank">"On the Road Again,"</a> he wasn't crooning about the Composable Revolution.
Or was he? 
In his epic ode to a musical odyssey, Nelson proclaimed his love for "making music with his friends." And what is a band, if not a collection of musical microservices... an orchestra of orchestrated instruments playing in harmony? 
Speaking of taking the band on the road, <a href="https://uniform.dev/about-us">Uniform</a> will be rocking and rolling this spring as it launches its first-ever <a href="https://uniform.dev/composable-roadshow" target="_blank">Composable Roadshow.</a> The event will debut in London on March 14th and move to New York on March 21st, with plans to expand to more cities.
The Composable Roadshow will feature discussions on the state of the market related to composable architectures and their growing impact. It will also provide opportunities for guests to learn about implementing composable through expert speakers, panelists, and session leaders.
The roadshow series, held in partnership with <a href="https://www.bigcommerce.com/dm/mm-gtm/?utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_campaign=dig_amer_all_all_acq_core_brand_oa_2023_q1_sem-brand-alpha&amp;utm_content=Big+Commerce+%3E+Exact&amp;utm_term=big%20commerce&amp;lqid=engine:google|campaignid:933821213|adid:635224001507|gclid:Cj0KCQiA6fafBhC1ARIsAIJjL8nF-R32uSS1bgg7J8crzhBzNbjCL6jf8R8tITSRvLJHEowjfnnmHSMaAkg-EALw_wcB&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA6fafBhC1ARIsAIJjL8nF-R32uSS1bgg7J8crzhBzNbjCL6jf8R8tITSRvLJHEowjfnnmHSMaAkg-EALw_wcB" target="_blank">BigCommerce</a>, <a href="https://www.contentful.com/" target="_blank">Contentful</a>, <a href="https://www.codeandtheory.com/" target="_blank">Code and Theory</a>, and <a href="https://www.kinandcarta.com/en-us/" target="_blank">Kin + Carta</a>, will help to promote composable accessibility and deliver real-life use cases from companies and agencies that are successfully on the road to composable. 
<h2>Leading the Way for DXC</h2>
Without question, Uniform has been one of the leading innovators in the burgeoning <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/8-cms-trends-to-watch-in-2023-from-mach-to-metaverse/">Digital Experience Composition (DXC)</a> space. While still a nascent category (<a href="https://www.boye-co.com/blog/2023/1/whats-the-real-story-about-digital-experience-composition" target="_blank">Gartner coined the TLA</a> but has yet to officially bless it), composable and MACH have stolen the air from the digital experience room – and created a groundswell of interest and activity across the market.
Along with the excitement and intrigue, confusion has emerged with the rise of DXC. Enterprises are struggling to understand the role and value of DXC platforms in the composable stack and even where it fits. Uniform and its contemporaries are working diligently to educate and illuminate the market about the benefits of DXC. The effort is paying off as vendors report growing demand and the presence of DXC in RFPs.
The Composable Roadshow is yet another experience channel for elevating awareness. The traveling series is designed to appeal to marketers, customers, and partners – all focused on unlocking the value that composable aims to solve. 
<h2>A Uniform that fits in a composable world</h2>
Unlike a traditional digital experience platform, the architecture behind Uniform DXC allows legacy programs to implement composable or <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/top-headless-commerce-platforms/">headless</a> systems without a complete overhaul. This helps when juggling the labor and costs of re-platforming on an entirely new system and allows enterprises to scale faster when deploying composable components bit by bit. It also eliminates the "glue code" synonymous with connecting systems by streamlining everything with APIs. 
Uniform also wants to give power back to marketers at a time when headless has reigned supreme for developers. In the race to omnichannel, marketers and UX have often taken a backseat to functional considerations – and Uniform's strategy is chiefly focused on bringing marketers back to the fold. 
Earlier this year, Uniform participated in the heralded <a href="https://kontent.ai/events-and-webinars/mach-haus-new-york/" target="_blank">MACH Haus New York</a>, a live event presented by the <a href="https://machalliance.org/insights/staying-focused-why-we-re-expanding-the-mach-alliance-advisory-board">MACH Alliance</a> during the <a href="https://nrfbigshow.nrf.com/" target="_blank">National Retail Federation 2023</a>. Uniform joined the MACH Alliance in 2021, making them an earlier adopter to the MACH member community. 
During MACH Haus, Uniform participated in several panels, including a tantalizing segment entitled "The Death of DXP: Stepping Off the Monolith Bit by Bit" that featured <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dguarnaccia/" target="_blank">Uniform President Darren Guarnaccia</a>. The session focused on the benefits of composability within your tech stack and the challenges of maintaining the monoliths. 
Uniform is continuing to take suggestions for additional roadshow destinations, and you can contact the company with your suggestions <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeVTLYBrPpSDV9FqHDaAzs5PwNup2r2pNVM7KWN1bSUMowScg/viewform" target="_blank">here</a>. We'll continue to monitor and post updates as news is released.
In the meantime, crank some Willie, read more about composable, and <a href="https://uniform.dev/composable-roadshow#book-for-free-now" target="_blank">reserve</a> your tickets. This is one show you won't want to miss. 
<h2>About Uniform</h2>
Uniform digital experience composition (DXC) platform speeds up time to value for composable-experience architecture, lowers development costs, and makes it easy for business users to build digital experiences. A composable orchestration layer for legacy systems and headless APIs in Uniform DXCP eliminates the need for custom integration code, which delivers no business value. Instead, available for marketers, merchandisers, and other business users are no-code tools to build digital experiences with content from any source—without submitting tickets for developer assistance. Furthermore, Uniform DXCP’s high-performance personalization capability, delivered at the edge, raises conversion and CX for all channels.

Save the Dates for Uniform's Composable Roadshow 2023

Uniform Composable Roadshow featured image

<h4>The two-day conference will be held January 17-18 in St. Petersburg, Florida, and feature keynotes and workshops with leading global experts in the CMS field. </h4>
<hr />
If only there were a vendor-neutral conference dedicated to CMS...
That was the vision guiding <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/critics/janus-boye/">Janus Boye</a> of <a href="https://www.boye-co.com/" target="_blank">Boye &amp; Company</a>, a leading peer group organizer, to create a new kind of live experience – one that focuses exclusively on Content Management Systems.
The <a href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff23" target="_blank">CMS Kickoff 2023 Conference</a> will offer attendees a fresh and unique perspective on the continuously evolving CMS space. The two-day event promises diverse opportunities for learning and networking, as well as keynotes from top industry speakers and thought leaders.
Aptly named a “kickoff” and held in January, the conference will look back at the previous year’s challenges and trends. But as Boye pointed out, event speakers will emphasize what’s ahead for the CMS community in 2023.
<h2>A program featuring global brands and industry experts</h2>
The CMS Kickoff 2023 will share learnings, insights, and best practices from leading brands that are utilizing CMS, including <a href="https://www.aetna.com/" target="_blank">Aetna</a>, <a href="https://dia.org/" target="_blank">Detroit Institute of Arts</a>, <a href="https://www.jnj.com/" target="_blank">Johnson &amp; Johnson</a>, and <a href="https://www.wellsfargo.com/" target="_blank">Wells Fargo</a>.
Attendees will also have an opportunity to hear from CMS industry experts like <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/deane/" target="_blank">Deane Barker</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartomlo/" target="_blank">Bart Omlo</a>, and <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/from-legacy-to-composable-whats-the-best-way-forward/">Sana Remekie</a> (to name a few). These respected thought leaders will interpret market trends and discuss topics that range from <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/top-free-headless-cms-platforms/">headless CMS</a> to digital experience composition.
<h2>Exclusively focused on CMS</h2>
Boye has long been a respected voice within the CMS community, conducting peer groups that tackle a range of topics. Along the way, Boye &amp; Company has built a global cabal of experts representing a multitude of vendors and integrators, and many have been yearning for a CMS event.  
“The CMS industry does not currently have a dedicated conference,” said Boye. “This event aims to change that while remaining focused on helping customers and ultimately moving the industry forward – without sales pitches.”
The CMS Kickoff 2023 will offer curated talks, workshops, and a “perfect mix” of presentations and discussions. Along with Boye &amp; Company’s legendary learning format and social events, the conference promises something for every CMS user, builder, or enthusiast – regardless of skill level.  
“Think of this conference as a mixture of world-class masterclasses, relevant lectures, enlightening discussions, high-impact learning, and down-to-earth networking,” said Boye.
<h2><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/12/don-cesar.jpg" alt="Don Cesar Hotel image" /></h2>
<h2>Hosted at the Don CeSar Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida</h2>
To top it off, the CMS Kickoff 2023 will be hosted at the legendary <a href="https://www.doncesar.com/" target="_blank">The Don CeSar</a> Hotel in beautiful St. Pete Beach – giving many attendees from around the globe an opportunity to leave winter weather behind and enjoy the Florida sunshine. Built in 1928 to resemble a Mediterranean-style castle and known as Florida’s "Pink Palace," the Don CeSar is the only historic hotel on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
CMS Kickoff will be held from January 17-18, 2023. Registration is now open, and you can visit the website to <a href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff23/program" target="_blank">explore the event</a>, <a href="https://lnkd.in/dy_cSrhe" target="_blank">see the speakers</a>, and <a href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff23/tickets" target="_blank">book your seat</a> today.

CMS Kickoff 2023 Brings Laser Focus to Content Management, Offers Sessions with Industry Leaders

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<a href="https://uniform.dev/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uniform</a> has been anything but uniform. And that's a good thing. Since the company's inception, it has frequently challenged conventional industry thinking and elevated the conversation around composability.
As a certified member of the <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/the-future-is-composable-a-conversation-with-new-mach-alliance-president-casper-rasmussen/">MACH Alliance</a>, Uniform has been trumpeting its vision for integrating modern composable systems with legacy monoliths, allowing customers to smooth out the rough patches with delivery and update their architectures "through evolution, not revolution."
Along with an array of platform products that include personalization, Uniform has been carving a new niche that has DXPs and analysts rethinking the digital experience landscape. It's the kind of bold thinking that helped the company <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/uniform-raises-28m-in-series-a-funding-round-for-composable-dxp/">raise $28 million</a> in Series A funding last December, just 15 months after breaking ground. 
Now, Uniform is launching a new kind of industry event that focuses on digital experience composition – or DXC (add it to your list of three-lettered acronyms to remember).
The virtual conference, dubbed <a href="https://uniform.dev/dxc-assembly?utm_campaign=marketing&amp;utm_source=uniform-blog&amp;utm_medium=DXCA-web-banner-link-for-uniform-page" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DXC Assembly</a>, will be held on November 15th and promises a unique mix of speakers that are leading the charge in the emerging field of digital experience composition. The conference will also feature breakout sessions, AMAs, and demos that will be announced in the coming weeks.
<h2 class="text-lg sm:text-2xl font-semibold text-blue-ribbon mb-4 md:mb-8">Building the future for developers and business teams</h2>
According to Uniform, DXC offers fast, robust, and highly adaptable tools that allow businesses to build lightning-fast experiences that are engaging and immersive. DXC-powered experiences are also designed to respond to changing business needs, customer behaviors, and market conditions. 
The DXC Assembly will feature a mix of speakers and attendees from across the development and business tracks. This includes engineers, architects, and marketers that work extensively in the digital experience arena.
While the agenda continues to evolve, the festivities will begin at 9 AM Eastern with a keynote from <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lars-birkholm-petersen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lars Birkholm Petersen</a>, cofounder and CEO of Uniform. Immediately following, Uniform's CTO and cofounder <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexshyba/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Shyba</a> will demonstrate how to build a composable solution by taking a project from early development and quickly delivering it to business teams. 
In addition to the Uniform leadership, attendees will hear from a panel of speakers including <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierre-burgy-88671673/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pierre Burgy</a> of <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/strapi-releases-v4-of-headless-cms-enhances-plugins-and-api-performance/">Strapi</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciakunth/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Patricia Kunth</a> of Cobham Satcom, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lars-orum-andersen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lars Ørum Andersen</a> of Kruso, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/workingmom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beth Torrie</a> of Tercera. 
If you're interested in attending DXC Assembly, you can get a free ticket for access to all workshops, live streams, and expos <a href="https://hopin.com/events/dxc-assembly-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. 
<h2>About Uniform</h2>
Uniform is the world's first composable DXP, built for today's performance and scalability demands. A frictionless, pre-integrated composable digital experience platform gives companies the choice to continuously adopt traditional and headless best-of-breed technologies without ever replatforming, allowing businesses to deliver omnichannel orchestration with built-in high-performance testing and personalization – regardless of how their tech stacks evolve over time. Several top brands use Uniform to power their digital experiences, including Cirque du Soleil, Life Extension, Sunweb and Trimble. Visit <a href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=3376641-1&amp;h=192194015&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D3344227-1%26h%3D2537620590%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Funiform.dev%252F%26a%3Duniform.dev&amp;a=uniform.dev" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">uniform.dev</a> for more.

Uniform to Host DXC Assembly, Offers First Virtual Conference on Digital Experience Composition

Image of DXC Assembly artwork - a series of geometric shapes that form the letters "DXC" against a solid colored blue background.

Reflections on WordCamp Europe 2022

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<a href="https://www.wix.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wix</a>, one of the industry's leading website builders, announced its first-ever developer conference, <a href="https://www.wixdevcon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wix DevCon 2022</a> – which will take place September 7 - 8 in New York City.
Wix DevCon will present a unique opportunity for the broad developer community to learn about the company's growth as a cutting-edge developer platform and ecosystem. The two-day event will consist of talks from a range of Wix experts and leadership, including CEO Avishai Abrahami.
Attendees will also hear from Yoav Abrahami, Head of Code and Chief Architect for Velo – Wix's full-stack development platform that empowers users to build, manage, and deploy professional web apps rapidly.
According to Wix, DevCon will enable attendees to learn and exchange ideas, elevating and extending their development skills by exploring the newest Wix developer-centric products, tools, and technologies. 
And the icing on the cake: event attendees will also be the first to hear about new Wix product announcements.
“Wix DevCon 2022 will bring our community of developers together for a unique insight into how Wix tools were created, how to get the most out of them, and offer the community a chance to interact and learn from one another,” said Abrahami. “An immersive, differentiated, and exclusive experience, attendees will have unparalleled access to the heart of development at Wix, enabling them to confidently create the business capabilities they need. Furthermore, at the event, we’ll unveil an exciting new product innovation that will change the future of web development at Wix.”
<h2>Offering both a no-code website builder and a full-stack development platform</h2>
Wix – which is best known for its incredibly popular drag-and-drop website builder – has become a go-to platform for artists, freelancers, and small business owners looking to establish brands online without the hassle of coding and complexity. 
While it competes with well-known brands like <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/squarespace-a-diy-website-builder-1/">Squarespace</a>, <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/duda-snaps-up-snipcart-to-boost-e-commerce-capabilities-qa-with-ceo-itai-sadan/">Duda</a>, and <a href="https://www.weebly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Weebly</a>, Wix has carved out a competitive advantage with its array of rich templates, its progressive <a href="https://www.wix.com/blog/2016/06/wix-artificial-design-intelligence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wix ADI</a> (Artificial Design Intelligence), and solid user support. 
Two years ago, Wix introduced <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/wix-introduces-editor-x-offers-designers-advanced-tools-for-building-custom-websites/">Editor X</a>, its new drag-and-drop web builder for web designers and digital agencies that are seeking to push the aesthetic limits without the hassle of coding from scratch. From there, the company continued to enrich its customization features. 
With the introduction of DevCon, Wix seems poised to transform its customer base by attracting more developers to the flock. By providing a more expansive platform that offers both a no-code website builder and a full-stack development platform, Wix is also upping the ante on how "custom" a website or app can be when built with its technology. This means users are no longer limited, regardless of their goals as a small business, agency designer, or advanced developer. 
<h2>How to Attend Wix DevCon 2022</h2>
As mentioned, Wix DevCon bites into the Big Apple in early September. The sessions will include groundbreaking product reveals, live tours through the Wix developer ecosystem, engineering talks, programming workshops, fireside chats from the industry experts, and community showcases of the best websites built on Wix.
Wix DevCon 2022 will be held from September 7 - 8 at <a href="https://lavan541.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lavan541</a> in New York City. Sessions begin at 8:00 AM and last through 4:00 PM (EST). 
Wix DevCon is completely free. However, space is limited, so the company recommends registering early to ensure your spot. If you can't make it to NYC, no worries – you can see the entire program virtually via the event website.
For tickets, session schedules, speaker lineups, and more, visit Wix's beautiful DevCon website at <a href="https://www.wixdevcon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.wixdevcon.com</a>
<h2>About Wix</h2>
Wix is a leading platform to create, manage and grow a digital presence. What began as a website builder in 2006 is now a complete platform providing users with enterprise-grade performance, security and a reliable infrastructure. Offering a wide range of commerce and business solutions, advanced SEO and marketing tools, Wix enables users to have full ownership of their brand, their data and their relationships with their customers. With a focus on continuous innovation and delivery of new features and products, anyone can build a powerful digital presence to fulfill their dreams on Wix.

Wix to Host First-Ever Developers Conference, Wix DevCon 2022

Reflections from Sanity's Structured Content 2022 Conference

Image of Structured Content logo against yellow background

Summer is (almost) here in the Northern Hemisphere, and headless is heating up. 
Right on the heels of Netlify's <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/netlify-to-host-headless-commerce-summit-for-talks-on-building-world-class-e-commerce-experiences/" target="_blank">Headless Commerce Summit</a>, Sanity – a unified content platform for powering digital experiences – is hosting a unique conference that's focused on structured content. It should come as no surprise that the company's inaugural shindig has been aptly named "Structured Content," and will offer a global experience to content professionals at multiple levels across the industry. 
The event will provide live access at three locations in the U.S. and Europe: San Francisco from May 24 - 25,  and London and Oslo from May 25 - 26. If a live event isn't in the cards, you can also <a href="https://hopin.com/events/structured-content-2022" target="_blank">watch the conference online for free</a> during the San Francisco sessions. 
While this might be Sanity's first foray with a conference of this kind, the company managed to attract some heavy hitters to sponsor its dance card, including <a href="https://www.netlify.com/" target="_blank">Netlify</a>, <a href="https://vercel.com/" target="_blank">Vercel</a>, <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/top-headless-commerce-platforms/" target="_blank">Shopify</a>, and <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/gatsby-unveils-v3-0-cloud-hosting-and-more-at-gatsbyconf-2021/">Gatsby</a>. According to <a href="https://www.sanity.io/" target="_blank">Sanity</a>, the three-day conference is expected to have more than 2,000 content strategists, engineers, marketers, and designers in attendance. Not too shabby for a first outing – and a testament to the platform's growing presence in the content space. 
To be clear, Structured Content is not a Sanity-focused event. This distinction is summed up quite elegantly by <a href="https://structuredcontent.live/speakers/carrie-hane" target="_blank">Carrie Hane</a>, Sanity's Head of Content Strategy Relations: "Structured Content 2022 is not a Sanity user conference. It’s not about our product. This is what we hope is the beginning of a movement. We created this event to educate and inspire the entire cross-disciplinary community of people who work on digital experiences."
<div>
<h2>What to expect at Structured Content 2022</h2>
</div>
According to the event's website, the program schedule includes a variety of workshops about structured content design, presentations about the future of digital experience, workshops on how organizations can harness structured content, and so much more. Some of the most noteworthy include: 
<ul>
<li>“The Future of Digital Experience Will Be Powered by Structured Content”</li>
<li>“Bridging Disciplines with Structured Content”</li>
<li>“How Publishing Organizations Harness Structured Content to Power Editorial Experiences”</li>
<li>“Design and Structured Content: Where We Are, Where We Could Go”</li>
<li>“Reflections on the Future of the Web”</li>
<li>“Content Makes Commerce Human”</li>
</ul>
"We’ve put together <a href="https://structuredcontent.live/program" target="_self">14 wide-ranging sessions</a> about the benefits of structured content, fresh approaches to solving problems, and thoughts on what the future holds for us as both consumers and creators of digital experiences.," said Hane. "You’ll discover new ways of thinking about the potential of content and what it can accomplish."
And that's just scratching the surface. Check out the whole program at<a href="https://structuredcontent.live/program" target="_blank"> https://structuredcontent.live/program</a>. 
<h2>So what exactly is "structured content," anyway?</h2>
While we have you here, let's get this whole "structured content" thing straight.  
One of the best analogies we've seen for explaining structured content is Legos. Just like the toy that everyone loves to tinker with, structured content is broken down into independent, reusable components, accessed from a single source of truth – and planned in a technologically-agnostic way. Structured content can be used across channels and delivered through APIs, and it's easier to prototype and iterate with – making development faster and easier.
As a platform, Sanity is uniquely designed for structured content. In addition to being open-source, API-based, and headless, the company has pioneered an entirely new approach to building websites with structured content as the mechanism for building pages. 
Sanity positions itself as a "fast-growing alternative to the traditional CMS." What makes Sanity different is that it treats content as data. By storing resources in its <a href="https://www.sanity.io/docs/datastore" target="_blank">Sanity Content Lake</a>, organizations can effectively "de-silo" their content – making it available for both collaboration and global distribution. By leveraging APIs, users can manage their text, images, and other media in a unified platform and build engaging digital experiences in real-time.
At CMS Critic, we talk about <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/tag/headless/">headless</a> and <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/top-headless-commerce-platforms/">headless CMSes</a> quite a bit. What's interesting about Sanity is that it combines the power of a headless CMS with structured content, so its offerings go beyond the typical headless CMS. In fact, the company wrote a <a href="https://www.sanity.io/blog/web-developers-headless-cms-structured-content" target="_blank">spicy post</a> about the need to focus on structured content more the headless CMS itself, much to the chagrin of its industry peers. 
<img style="max-width:1000px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/05/traditional-headless-structured-content.webp" alt="Traidional CMS vs Headless CMS vs Structured Content Platform" />
<div> </div>
<div>Structured Content 2022 is next week, and looks to be a solid event. We'll do some follow-up on the other side. In the meantime, <a href="https://structuredcontent.live/" target="_blank">register to attend live or online. </a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>You should also check out<a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/sanity-raises-39-million-focuses-growth-on-content-as-data-for-transformative-digital-experiences/" target="_blank"> our interview with the Sanity founder and CEO, Magnus Hillstead</a>, where he shared some of his views on the CMS market and the value of being headless.</div>
<div> </div>
<h2>About Sanity</h2>
<a href="https://www.sanity.io/" target="_blank">Sanity</a> is the platform for structured content that en0ables teams to build exceptional digital experiences. By treating content as data, modern organizations use Sanity’s APIs to build optimal editing workflows and share content between systems to increase digital velocity.
Sanity’s unique model for orchestrating content is used by more than 100,000 developers at major brands like Conde Nast, Nike, Unilever, and Cloudflare. They use Sanity to shape and mold content to build multimedia-rich experiences both for their public-facing brand and the way customers experience their products and services firsthand. Our mission is to be the most versatile system for creating and distributing digital content to any device, application, or channel.

Sanity to Host Structured Content 2022 Conference in U.S., Europe, and Online

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