A cohort of senior engineers and architects, working through QCon together.
You already know how to build systems. You've shipped production software, navigated tradeoffs, and made decisions under pressure.
What's harder to find is a room full of people at your level. Senior engineers and architects from different companies, different industries, and different contexts, who are working through the same kinds of challenges you are.
That's what this program creates.
The InfoQ Certified Architect Program at QCon San Francisco
Join a curated group of experienced practitioners for the full QCon San Francisco experience.
You'll attend sessions together, share notes, compare what you're seeing to what you're facing back home, and work through real challenges as a group.
It's the conference experience you wish you'd had every other time. You actually process what you're learning with people who can push back, validate, and add perspective.
"The one part that is missing in the architectural world is that you always work inside your context. With this kind of programme, we try to take your knowledge and mesh with the knowledge of other peers that can help you to see the same problem from different angles."
Luca Mezzalira, 2025 Program Facilitator
Join the InfoQ Certified Architect Program
Upgrade your existing 3-day conference ticket through the My Account page.
What to expect from the 4 days
Before the conference
- Join your cohort in a private Slack group
- Start getting to know the other engineers and architects
- Share what you're hoping to get out of the week
November 17-19: QCon San Francisco + cohort experience
- Morning cohort breakfast: Start the first day with your peer group. What are you hoping to see today? What questions are you carrying?
- Full conference access: to all keynotes, presentations, and unconference sessions
- Shared reflection: After sessions, compare notes with your cohort. What landed? What surprised you? What's transferable to your context, and what isn't?
- Tuesday cohort lunch: A dedicated session to dig deeper into what you're learning
- Evening networking: Attend conference social events where you already know a group of peers.
November 20: Hands-on workshop
- Capstone session: The topics come from you. If you're wrestling with AI integration, platform engineering, or a specific technical decision, you can bring it. Small groups will work through real challenges together.
"Usually, the topics come from the attendees. If someone is interested in AI and how to implement agents inside a specific area of a system, they can propose it. We break out in groups, and I facilitate the discussion among the attendees."
Luca Mezzalira
Why this experience works
You're not starting from scratch: Everyone in your cohort has 5+ years of senior experience, so conversations start at a level that respects what you already know.
Different contexts, shared challenges: Seeing how engineers and architects at other companies think about the same problems gives you new angles on your own decisions.
Active, not passive: This isn't sitting in more sessions. You're comparing notes, challenging assumptions, and working through problems together. Learning happens in the conversations, not just in the talks.
The corridor conversations are built in: You know how the best part of any conference is the hallway track? This program structures that into the experience.
"You learn a lot when you are in the corridors, not only by listening to speakers. You can learn from other people who are doing that already at scale."
Luca Mezzalira
The people you'll meet
The cohort is intentionally small: senior engineers, architects, and technical leaders who shape their companies' technical direction. People who are curious, willing to share, and genuinely interested in how others approach similar challenges.
"The majority of the time, people who attend are people who are willing to do the next step in their career. Having that mindset will help you to achieve more. Surrounding yourself with people who are thinking exactly in the same way. That will probably be the best takeaway."
Luca Mezzalira
What you'll walk away with after this experience
A network of peers at your level: People you can reach out to when you're weighing a decision or want to talk something through with someone who gets it.
New angles on challenges you're already facing: Seeing how other companies approach the same problems often unsticks your own thinking.
Confidence in your direction: Sometimes, the most valuable thing is hearing that other senior practitioners are wrestling with the same questions. You're not behind. This stuff is hard.
The ICSAET credential: You'll earn the InfoQ Certified Software Architect in Emerging Technologies (ICSAET) certification.
Who this is for
Senior software engineers, architects, and technical leaders with 5+ years of experience who:
- Set technical direction across teams
- Want to compare notes with peers from other companies
- Are curious how other organizations are approaching similar challenges
- Value conversations and collaboration over passive content consumption.
Cohort size is limited to keep discussions substantive and ensure everyone can participate.
What's included
- Full access to QCon San Francisco 2026 (November 16-18)
- Cohort experiences throughout the conference
- Half-day hands-on workshop (November 19)
- Private Slack group with your cohort and facilitator
- ICSAET certification upon completion.
Prerequisites
- Bring your laptop, a notepad, and a pen
- Connect with your cohort via Slack a few weeks before the event
- Attend all three days of the conference. You choose which sessions.
- Your cohort meets on Monday morning before the keynote and for lunch on Wednesday.
Join the InfoQ Certified Architect Program
Upgrade your existing 3-day conference ticket through the My Account page.
