XD19: A look at why developers should attend

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For the past two years A2X has attended Xero’s global developer roadshow – XD. The event returns in August this year, and I want to share why A2X always attends.

What is XD19?

XD is a series of developer roadshows hosted by Xero’s ecosystem team in several countries (Canada, UK, New Zealand and Australia). It attracts developers and app businesses from the Xero ecosystem for information sessions, panels and to network with other developers and the Xero team.

At XD18 accountants shared what makes apps valuable to them, and how they advise clients on app usage. This was a first-hand account of the challenges accountants face when recommending apps to their clients. It also provided insights into what they look for in an app (such as good support). My biggest takeaway last year was understanding the consideration accountants make when recommending or using apps with their clients. Their recommendation or use of an app can potentially risk their professional reputation with their clients. For example, if you ran a retail business and your accountant recommends a point-of-sale app, you’re more likely to trust their advice if it’s successful.

What will you get out of attending XD19?

The following three things stand out for me:

Meet other developers and app businesses in the Xero ecosystem
Understand best practices for apps and app marketing from the Xero Team
Hear from accountants in the industry about what they value in an app

The event attracts local developers and app businesses providing an opportunity to learn informally about technical and business challenges. I experienced this at the Auckland event where I met Nathan and Dale from Quotient – a fast growing SaaS software company, for instance. I enjoyed hearing about their personal experiences with marketing and growth.

The event is also attended by the Xero ecosystem team making it a great opportunity to get to meet and learn from them. In the past there’s been technical sessions discussing new or upcoming API features. There have also been marketing sessions offering tips for getting the most out of the Xero app marketplace.

XD brings together everyone in the Xero ecosystem – the Xero team, the developers and apps, and the accountants. It’s the coming together of these three groups that makes XD a fantastic event to attend.

About the author

Ashley Schroder leads development of A2X in Auckland, New Zealand. A2X is an automated cloud-based service used by Amazon merchants and Shopify sellers to import their eCommerce sales and fee transactions, and to post summarised transactions to Xero.

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