Countdown to #DevLearn: 5 Questions for which DevLearn has Answers

Each Thursday between now and DevLearn, I will be sharing a small peek behind the scenes of this year’s conference. 

I have a fairly well-defined process I use when deciding if I want to attend a conference. It starts with a fairly simple question:

What problems will attending this conference help me solve?

The answer to that question, quite often, takes the form of a list of additional questions that I would hope to answer by attending the conference. These questions not only help me determine the value of attending, they also evolve into an action plan that drives my agenda at the event, including the sessions I attend, the people I look to connect with, the sponsors I plan to visit in the expo, and more.

I also use this approach when I’m speaking to people about conferences. I’m frequently asked some version of this question: “Is attending <INSERT CONFERENCE NAME> right for me?”

The conversation this leads to often surprises people

Each Thursday between now and DevLearn, I will be sharing a small peek behind the scenes of this year’s conference. 

I have a fairly well-defined process I use when deciding if I want to attend a conference. It starts with a fairly simple question:

What problems will attending this conference help me solve?

The answer to that question, quite often, takes the form of a list of additional questions that I would hope to answer by attending the conference. These questions not only help me determine the value of attending, they also evolve into an action plan that drives my agenda at the event, including the sessions I attend, the people I look to connect with, the sponsors I plan to visit in the expo, and more.

I also use this approach when I’m speaking to people about conferences. I’m frequently asked some version of this question: “Is attending <INSERT CONFERENCE NAME> right for me?”

The conversation this leads to often surprises people because it’s not a conversation exploring the features and benefits of the conference. It’s a conversation exploring questions. I try to find out what challenges they are struggling to overcome and put those challenges into the form of a question. Once that’s done, it’s simply a case of exploring if the question will be answered at the conference.

I find this process very effective in helping me get more value from the events I attend. As an example, I just went through the process with DevLearn in mind. Here are five important questions that DevLearn is uniquely positioned to answer.

How is technology changing learning and development?

DevLearn is the one event each year around which the industry gathers to explore the intersection of learning and technology. As technology continues to advance at an ever-increasing pace, so too do the tools and practices we use in technology-based learning and development. DevLearn goes beyond just talking about learning and technology; DevLearn looks to explore how technology is changing what we do, and to host conversations that help shape the future of our field.

How can I make sense of the latest trends?

Microlearning. Experience API. Gamification. Analytics. Personalization. 

These are just a few of the many buzzwords that are hot in our industry right now. Trends are the shiny objects of our industry. They get our attention and often our resources as we react to the hype. At DevLearn we explore the trends from a different perspective. We’re not interested in the trends themselves; we’re interested in helping you discover why these trends may (or may not) matter to you.

What changes should I make to our learning strategy?

Supporting an organization’s learning strategy is more challenging than ever. The array of technologies that are available is increasingly complex, and today’s senior leaders need unique support to build and execute a cohesive and scalable strategy. That support requires that the right people, the right content, and the right environment. DevLearn has elements like our Executive Forum and our Management & Strategy Track that are specifically tailored to helping today’s senior learning leaders build their learning strategy.

What does learning innovation look like?

Innovation is one of my least favorite corporate buzzwords. It’s a word that is applied to so many different contexts it can be swept of its value and meaning. One way we try to overcome this at DevLearn is by putting innovation on display. We showcase innovation that you can see in action via case study sessions, our annual Hyperdrive competition, our industry-leading expo, and our ever-popular DemoFest exhibition. Innovation often starts with a spark of inspiration, and there’s no shortage of inspiration to be found on display at DevLearn.

Where are my “peeps”?

Peeps is a word I rarely use, but I find it fascinating how often I hear it used in conversations about DevLearn. When I ask attendees why they come to DevLearn, the most common phrase I hear is “It’s where my peeps are”, as if it were an internet meme come to life. I especially love it when I speak to a new attendee whose biggest takeaway from the event is feeling like, as one attendee told me last year “I finally found my people”.

DevLearn attracts a unique community of learning and development professionals who are passionate about the ability technology has to transform our thoughts and approaches to training, education, and learning. If this sounds like your “peeps”, then DevLearn is probably the place for you.

Get Your Questions Answered at DevLearn

These are just a few of the questions DevLearn can answer for you; there are countless more.

As you think about what conference you may want to attend next – be it DevLearn or something else – consider going through this exercise yourself. Identify your most important questions and then examine the conference to see if you’ll find the answers. It will not only pinpoint the key value a conference may provide for you, it will also be a great tool in ensuring you attain that value when you attend.

Have a question about DevLearn that you’d like to see explored in a future post? Feel free to add it as a comment or reach out to me directly.