How To Get The Most Out Of Conferences

September 29, 2004

I actually go to quite a few conferences, most of them are close by, but on occasion I do make it to some of the big ones around the country. Since I am heading East to Boston for UI 9 in about a week, this little tip sheet was particularly relevant.

Conferences are what you make of them. If you’re not sure why you’re going, or what you want to get out of the experience, you’re unlikely to get it. This essay gives one perspective on conferences, and how to make them more valuable and engaging experiences. I think in general professional conferences take a very conservative approach to training and education, and it demands that attendees take more responsibility for getting value from the experience than should be necessary.

The surprising thing in my experience about most conferences is that the most interesting, informative and educational moments are not spent in the sessions themselves: it’s in all of the other interactions with peers from other companies and organizations. The lectures, talks and panels might provide some useful approaches or ideas, but for the most part, the slides and papers from those sessions can be obtained later. This is not true for all of the unique, personal, and insightful conversations you might have with other people. A special thing about a conference is the opportunity for those interactions. Unless you work at a firm that specializes in the kind of job you have, much of your time back at work is spent with people who do not have the same background and kinds of interests that you do.

Quite a bit of this advice is just common sense, but I have friends that have lamented that they just don't get much out of going to conferences. I never really have delved into the why's of these statements with them, but I would venture to guess that they were more of the passive than active participant.

Read Scott's full article on UIWEB.