**Bonus**: To finish off the meetup, we've got a copy of Ashley's new book "[Creating Software with Modern Diagramming Techniques](https://pragprog.com/titles/apdiag/creating-software-with-modern-diagramming-techniques/)"
And don't miss Doug's walkthrough of how to use Mermaid in Polyglot Interactive Notebooks.

**Abstract**
For decades, engineers have been creating diagrams for various use cases. A diagram can convey that information quickly and succinctly, whether it’s to document architecture or explain a complex sequence of events. For many of those decades, the creation of diagrams was done manually. Nowadays, though, there is a better way, and it’s called Mermaid.

**BIO**
Ashley Peacock is a staff engineer and architect working in the UK tech industry with over 10 years of experience. He’s an avid user of diagrams, and a huge advocate for their power in conveying ideas, documenting architectures, and whiteboarding problems.