TechEd Discussions

Are you in the process of making travel plans for TechEd 2012 in Orlando? Before you do, make sure you check out the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau TechEd Web-Site and... Read the blog post >>

Last week many new Breakout Sessions were approved and added to the Content Catalog for TechEd North America 2012. New session topics include Security and Virtualization, and technologies like Windows Server “8”, Hyper-V, and System Center, with more on the way. If you haven’t seen the topic you’re looking for, be sure to check the Content Catalog regularly for updates as we continue to add new sessions to the lineup.

In my efforts to provide some perspective outside the TechEd communications team, I came across a blog article from TechEd 2011, that's still valuable today in helping Microsoft Partners decide whether exhibiting at TechEd is a good investment. Again, the website provides plenty of input on the value of Partner participation, and what Partners bring to and take away from TechEd, but hearing directly from other Partners gives you an unbiased inside view.

Tiffany Ingargiola, Director of Partner Alliances with New Horizons Computer Learning Center, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for Learning Solutions, posted this article heading into her third TechEd conference. She says it took actually attending TechEd for her to see the true value of being there, and her article outlines her top three reasons why a Microsoft Partner of any solution competency should attend:

If only for the EXPO Hall: Imagine walking into a conference as if you were THE client/customer? Well this is where our decision makers come to find the NEXT big thing that they can and will implement in their company. Partners are contacted actively by vendors to re-sell their products. The Expo hall of TechEd is full of these vendors and here you actually have the opportunity to view their presentations as the client. I thought it was great to see where the crowds gathered and find out what the vendors had to offer. Wouldn't you love to see a client as they demo the products? Whether understanding the delivery or taking in the questions, if you have some products you are considering adding to your arsenal this is the place to make that decision.

What are the Sessions all about? Wouldn't you love to attend a session in which the presenter's message garners close to 10% of the attendees in one room? My biggest "aha" moment was attending a 300 level session with Mark Russinovich titled "Cases of the Unexplained". This session was on the last day of the conference, after lunch and still had at least 1,000 in attendance. Our two MAIN communities, IT Pro and Developers, gather at TechEd TOGETHER for one week. Regardless of your Microsoft Partner competency, this is where your clients/customers are. There are breakout groups and strategy sessions with the greatest minds in our industry providing real world problems and solutions. Sit back and listen to what the attendee's questions and concerns are. I include this in my top three because last year I began the week with a specific perspective and understanding of the issues my customers were facing. Attending sessions like Mark's and seeing such a large audience engage at the end of the week in a topic, opened my eyes and gave me a new perspective on what my clients have been facing.

Your NEW Microsoft Competency Strategy: When I have discussed this conference with partners in the past they initially state without hesitation that they send their own IT staff to TechEd and sending someone from the business or sales side doesn't seem necessary. While I contend this is a valid point, a typical attendee is going to this conference to learn, to be wow'd by not only the products but also by the team that created, envisioned and brought it to market. As a business development professional I find enormous value in actually understanding the vision behind these products and engaging in a conversation with the minds behind them. Do you see value in sitting in the room when great questions are discussed? How about hearing directly from your client’s mouth the areas where their business is struggling and the areas they see these new innovations helping? The ultimate value this conference provides to the future conversations you can have is immeasurable.

Read the full blog post including Tiffany's closing thoughts at http://blog.nhcomputerlearning.com/2011/04/08/why-would-a-microsoft-partner-attend-teched.

If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on the value of the TechExpo experience, please let me know by posting below or by sending me an email via myTechEd.

We've got a lot of information on the TechEd website to help you Convince Your Boss that attending TechEd 2012 is a good investment, and once approved, what you can do to prepare for TechEd. But, I think it's important to get the perspective of community members outside the TechEd communications team. I'd like to share what this stellar member of the TechEd community did to gain his boss' approval, and is doing to prepare for his second TechEd.

Meet Matt Griffin, an undergraduate at IUPUI and Systems Analyst for Apparatus in Indianapolis. Matt's blog this week features an article he wrote to help you get approval to go, and once approved, get your travel arrangements made. Matt promises to post future articles on planning your session schedule. Find Matt's blog at: http://mattblogsit.com/2012/02/04/lets-go-to-teched-2012/

It's great to have such involved community members like Matt, reaching out to share their experience with others. If you have a strategy or experience that could help others convince their boss and/or plan their conference experience, please post below or send me an email via myTechEd.

The first release of the Content Catalog is live with a sampling of the Breakout Sessions to be offered at TechEd North America 2012.  This is an important distinction as we have slightly changed how we release content in the catalog, based on customer feedback.
 
In years past, we would release the catalog when all content, including all of the different learning formats, like Birds-of-a Feather Sessions, Workshops, and Hands-on Labs, were 100% locked.  In some years, we provided more fluid updates that contained content with a higher likelihood of being modified or removed altogether. For 2012, we took the feedback from both approaches and decided to release the catalog with more finalized content, but to do so in waves.  This will allow users to show their boss the value of attending based on the actual sessions and with the benefit of doing so before the Early Bird registration savings end.
 
Which brings me to the reason for this blog: I’d like to ease the concerns of many of you who have recently filtered on a Track or completed a Keyword search by technology, and found the search does not yield any results. At this time, when that happens, it does not mean there will be no content on that subject at TechEd. We continue to work on finalizing content across all Tracks, including Breakout Sessions, BOFs, Workshops, HOLs, etc. and will go live with new content in waves over the next two months.
 
Of course, the team and I always appreciate your feedback on our processes, so if you have suggestions, please post them here or send me an email via myTechEd.  Otherwise, I'll keep you up-to-date on new Content Catalog releases through upcoming blog posts.

TechEd North America 2012 attendees will once again receive a 12-month TechNet Subscription Professional NFR.Read the blog post >>

Exhibitor and Sponsor sales for TechEd North America are in full swing! Booth selection for Exhibitors starts today, February 7. With over 140 booths already sold, you won't want to delay in registering as soon as possible.

• See what key Microsoft Partners are already participating
• Download the Prospectus for valuable demographics and info about why you should participate
• Register soon to secure a great location to showcase your product or solution

This June, thousands of IT professionals, developers, and Microsoft experts will be gathering in Orlando for TechEd North America. Take advantage of the chance to promote your business to over 8,000 technical strategists in one location.

If you have any questions or are ready to register, please post here or send me an email via myTechEd. Otherwise, I hope to see you in Orlando this June!

The TechEd website is about to get a makeover. When will that happen and what can you expect? Read the blog post >>