Our First Step into ConVEx
This April, Kovai.co’s Document360 had the opportunity to be part of something special. It was our first appearance at the CIDM’s ConVEx Conference, held in San Jose, California. Organized by Dawn Stevens and Amanda L. Patterson of Comtech Services, the event brought together technical writers, documentation experts, and content strategists, mainly from across the US.
A Fresh Take on AI and Trust
Representing Document360, our Head of Data Science, Selvaraaju Murugesan, delivered a session titled “Building Trust into GenAI-Based System Responses.” Held on Day 1 (April 7), the talk stood out by focusing not just on the how but on why trust matters when AI generates content.
Unlike many sessions packed with how-to guides and tool tips, ours emphasized human-centred AI design. The session had more about content accuracy, consistent terminology, and credible citations are essential to producing GenAI outputs that users can truly trust and act on.
Selvaraaju says,
People often lose trust in AI because it feels vague. But trust can be built—one citation, one explanation at a time.
The session resonated well with the audience, including attendees from companies like IBM, and saw a packed room with positive feedback.
Learning from the US Documentation Ecosystem
Beyond the session, attending ConVEx helped us understand more about how documentation practices and cultural difference in the US. From workflows and tooling to how enterprises value content, Selvaraaju had conversations with many technical writers, leaders, and peers from organizations like Adobe, Salesforce, ServiceNow, and IBM. He was also able to meet a few of the founders. This helped us see not just how the ecosystem operates, but also where Document360 could uniquely fit in.
Strengthening Connections
One memorable moment was reconnecting with Zora, a podcaster and past guest on our Knowledge Base Ninjas series. Thanks to her introductions, Selvaraaju had conversations with key voices from the tech writing community, from startup consultants to documentation vendors.
Selvaraaju says,
I walked away with 26 new problem statements. If you are in tech, you know how valuable that is.
Each conversation brought new perspectives, ideas, and opportunities to understand industry gaps and needs.
Exploring Beyond the Conference
The trip was not just about sessions and networking. It was a discovery mission, uncovering how agencies manage outsourced documentation, diving into translation practices, and even observing how competitors position their offerings.
A highlight was meeting a Product Manager from MongoDB, one of Document360’s technology partners. This exchange gave us fresh insights into MongoDB’s roadmap and how Document360 could align better for the future.
A West Coast Experience
Between the intense days of learning, there were also moments enjoyed by Selvaraaju in the West Coast charm including sunny days, tacos and burritos, downtown walks at the Golden Gate Bridge, self-driving taxis, cable car museums, and sightseeing weekends.
Looking Ahead
We returned with new ideas, valuable connections, deeper clarity, and a renewed passion for bridging innovation with documentation. As we continue shaping the future of content and AI, this experience is one that we will keep building on.
