Phil Hawksworth

Abstract:
Simple sites can enjoy simple architectures and hosting strategies. But what happens when we need to offer more complex, dynamic experiences to our users? Or when we need to offer localisation or personalisation? Things can get difficult when we need to build and serve these sites with confidence.

Modern rendering models and workflows make this far more approachable than before. And technologies like Edge Functions allow us to enrich our sites with more advanced features for our users.

In this talk we’ll learn about popular approaches to rendering our sites, and see how we can choose between them. And we’ll explore a practical example using Edge Functions to deliver personalised experiences to our users without compromising on performance or robustness.

Presentation outline:
1. Understanding the challenge
• The challenges when building web sites with personalisation
• The Personalisation Spectrum (Universal, Individual and the stages between)
• Traditional and popular approaches
• Rendering patterns that aim to help

2.  Seeking a solution
• Edge-side-rendering and how it complements other rendering
• Desirable properties for sites that scale
• How to design your site for robust and scalable personalisation
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3.  Learning by example
• Exploring a practical example of delivering localised and personalised content
• Reviewing the key takeaways and concepts
• Next steps for learning and experimenting