The jury for the TYPO3 Awards Conference needs to be selected carefully, and our jury’s varying backgrounds ensure that they are a well-rounded crew. We’ve got content experts like Felicity Brand, data driven marketers like André Kraus, company founders like Janus Boye and Phindiwe Nqanqaru, and technical experts like Benni Mack and Baddy Sonja Breidert.

While their journeys may have been different, they all made the decision that TYPO3 matters to them. For many of our jury members, the strength, welcoming nature, and dedication to open source make the TYPO3 community stand out. “The community is like a family. You can ask anyone for help, and if he/she can, you get help,” says André. Benni adds, “I find it extraordinary how the TYPO3 community embraces the spirit of true open source — even if you don't know everything, somebody can help you find a solution to your problem or requirements.” Phindiwe likes how “The TYPO3 community genuinely prioritizes the well-being of its users and developers.”

Bringing People and Projects Together

TYPO3 is a large and international community, and many of its members know each other solely through screens and online chat. The TYPO3 Conference is an opportunity to bring everyone together in the flesh. “The Conference offers me the chance to meet in person the many individuals I’ve interacted with within the TYPO3 community,” says Phindiwe. “It's an invaluable experience to connect with those who share my passion for web development and TYPO3.” 

Other jury members get excited at the prospect of witnessing TYPO3’s power and versatility put to the test, or “where the rubber meets the road”, as Janus puts it. “I think there will be a lot of variety that showcases the possibilities of what you can build with TYPO3,” says Felicity Brand. 

Evaluating Truly Exceptional TYPO3 Projects

Each jury member is influenced by their unique background, so naturally, their perspective on what makes an exceptional TYPO3 project will vary. Phindiwe looks for effective problem-solving and an exceptional user experience, while Janus gauges quality in the end product and the process to get there. As a TYPO3 Development Lead, it’s no surprise that Benni focuses on technical details. “I look for the craftsmanship and level of detail in the code.” But his most important focus is less easily defined. “Mainly, I concentrate on what I personally feel as a visitor when browsing the website.” 

The jury members are also given a set of criteria designed to evaluate each project holistically. These criteria include:

• Creativity
• User experience
• Functionality
• Overall design
• Alignment with the provided brief
• Quality of the underlying code
• Level of innovation and problem-solving 

Some categories are, admittedly, trickier to evaluate than others. Felicity thinks the user experience is a factor that deserves a lot of consideration. “User experience transcends categories and domains. Coming to any website as a newcomer tests its effectiveness. Am I clear on the purpose of the site right away? Can I perform a task easily? Am I confused and frustrated? Any website should be understandable to any viewer, regardless of whether they are the target audience or not.” Benni’s particular challenge is e-commerce. “E-commerce is very complicated to evaluate. There are so many processes and external systems to consider.”

The Conference’s Broader Impact

The TYPO3 Awards Conference creates a focal point for all things TYPO3. “These awards serve as a powerful motivator, inspiring creators to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation,” says Phindiwe. “They provide well-deserved recognition for the exceptional work being done within the TYPO3 community, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.”

Felicity makes the point that the Awards Conference is especially salient and necessary right now. “With the recent FOSS CMS cross-community meeting, the time is ripe for these awards. The TYPO3 community is part of a larger ecosystem of CMS projects and communities, and these awards raise awareness of issues that are important for all players in the web development industry, like security, privacy and accessibility.”

Benni agrees that the Conference matters not only to the TYPO3 community, but to the wider web development community and beyond. “The TYPO3 Awards Conference is one of the highlights of the year for the community, but we also strive for it to have an impact beyond. It brings people, websites, and their companies to a spotlight that they deserve and would not be able to achieve without such a format,” he says.