In 2012, the SEI Architecture Technology User Network (SATURN) Conference will celebrate its 8th year. What began as a small gathering of practitioners and SEI technical staff members has grown to an international conference that attracts researchers, practitioners, and industry experts.

As projects continue to grow in scale and complexity, effective collaboration across geographical, cultural, and technical boundaries is increasingly prevalent and essential to system success. SATURN 2012 will explore the theme of “Architecture: Catalyst for Collaboration.” SATURN 2012 will include presentations, courses, and tutorials on

• collaboration in software development, for example, architecture in an Agile project
• collaboration in the context of mobile computing, cloud computing, social networking, open frameworks, and service-oriented architecture
• knowledge management for effective collaboration
• systems of systems and ultra-large-scale systems: how to achieve collaboration across independently funded and managed organizations
• multi-agent systems and collaboration among non-human entities such as software and networks
• collaborative design and architecture tools

SATURN 2012 is scheduled for May 7-11, 2012 in St. Petersburg, Florida, at the St. Petersburg Bayfront Hilton hotel. The conference will be held in collaboration with IEEE Software magazine.

Registration for SATURN 2012 is now open. Early-bird registration rates will be in effect until April 9, 2012. Register now.

To learn more about SATURN and SEI work in architecture-centric engineering, join the SATURN LinkedIn group, visit the SATURN blog, or visit the SEI's software architecture website.