Event Report, Evolution of TC 2026
The 16th Evolution of TC took place in Sofia, Bulgaria, on June 2–3, 2026. The event brought together technical communication professionals from 18 countries, creating a truly international platform for knowledge sharing, professional development, and networking.
Hosted at SAP Labs Bulgaria, the conference welcomed technical writers, content strategists, UX professionals, documentation managers, and AI enthusiasts for two days of presentations, workshops, discussions, and interactive activities.
Navigating Change in Technical Communication
A central theme throughout the conference dealt with how technical communication is evolving in response to artificial intelligence, changing user expectations, and increasingly complex content ecosystems. Many sessions explored not only emerging technologies but also the organizational and cultural changes needed to implement them successfully.
The conference opened with a welcome by Franziska Ploner (tcworld), followed by the keynote “The Psychology of Usable Content Design: Uncovering the Cognition of Effective Content Creation” by Kirk St.Amant. The keynote examined how people process information and how a deeper understanding of cognition can help communicators create more effective and user-centered content.
AI, Content Strategy, and Shared Experiences
Several speakers explored the growing role of AI in technical communication. Greg Fazekas highlighted why technical communication is becoming increasingly important in the AI landscape, while Amandeep Singh Talwar introduced the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and its relevance for technical communicators. Elżbieta Wiltenburg presented a framework for choosing between deterministic and agentic workflows in technical communication.
The conference also addressed content quality and organizational development. Mihai Coanda shared strategies for scaling quality through structured content reviews, emphasizing consistency and collaboration. Christina Ausley presented a case study on cultivating a company-wide writing culture, demonstrating how documentation can become a shared responsibility through workshops, writing resources, and organizational support.
Throughout the day, attendees exchanged project management experiences, discussed organizational change, and shared practical approaches to common challenges. These conversations created a collaborative atmosphere and encouraged peer-to-peer learning.
Interactive Discussions and Community Exchange
One of the highlights of the second day was the interactive session led by Desislava Mihaylova. Rather than focusing solely on a traditional presentation format, the session actively involved participants in discussions around challenges, solutions, and practical experiences from their own organizations.
Another networking highlight was the interactive conference game, which encouraged attendees to connect with one another through a series of fun challenges and activities.
The day concluded with a networking dinner in Sofia, where conversations continued long after the last presentation. The relaxed atmosphere provided an ideal setting for attendees to exchange ideas, share experiences, and strengthen professional connections.
Workshops and Practical Insights
The second day focused on hands-on learning through workshops and interactive sessions. Kirk St.Amant expanded on his keynote topic with a workshop on cognitive mapping and audience expectations, demonstrating how communicators can better understand user needs and create more usable content. Participants also explored practical approaches to prompt engineering with Nicholas Hill, AI-supported design system documentation with Pavel Gospodinov, and the integration of AI agents for documentation into engineering workflows with Anna Goncharova.
A fishbowl discussion moderated by Lilyana Sapundzhieva explored the relationship between User Experience and User Assistance. The open format invited diverse perspectives and highlighted the importance of collaboration across disciplines to create seamless user experiences.
Building an International Community
Networking remained a key element throughout the conference. Whether during coffee breaks, workshops, interactive sessions, or the networking dinner, attendees actively engaged with one another and shared experiences from different industries, organizations, and countries.
Strong international participation demonstrated the growing reach of Evolution of TC and highlighted the value of bringing together diverse perspectives to discuss common challenges and opportunities in technical communication.
Looking Back on a Successful Event
The conference concluded with a raffle that provided one final opportunity for attendees to celebrate together and enjoy some memorable moments before departing.
We look back on Evolution of TC 2026 with great satisfaction. The event successfully combined expert knowledge, practical learning, interactive discussions, and community-building, creating an inspiring experience for everyone involved.
We would like to thank all attendees, sponsors, and speakers who contributed to making this event possible. Special thanks go to SAP for providing the excellent venue and supporting the conference.
For more impressions, photos, and speaker reports, visit the Evolution of TC LinkedIn profile.
We are already looking forward to welcoming the technical communication community again at the next Evolution of TC or at other tcworld conferences.