How can we make conferences stay relevant?

So I just got back from GDC and before that it was Learning Technologies 2010, DevLearn before that and next it'll be Learning Solutions, IITSEC, LEEF (supposed to be REALLY good this year), maybe throw in some KMWorld, a little OGI and Gov2.0 and there you go. I could also include past years when I've gone to ISPI or ASTD and so on...but there are a lot of conferences in my past and in all probability, a lot more in my future.

Now, don't get me wrong- I love a good conference. I love the interaction w/ the other attendees, maybe seeing a really smart/funny/inspirational speaker maybe meeting some cool new company with a really interesting new product. <insert other shoe dropping>

...but it also gets old. I've been to a lot of shows, spoken at a lot of shows but at some point you find yourself (or at least I do) starting to skip some of the sessions and look for actual, authentic conversations. This happens more I find at conferences that I've been to multiple times. Then you start to question why you're there in the first place - think Up In The Air but for conferences. 

So I've started to really wonder, how can re-engineer conferences so that they stay relevant for people like myself (and the others like me - you know who you are - we can all make lovely quilts out of our name tags and badges). Then I read Jeff Hurt's really nice post on this topic and I liked it but I think its interesting that he and I are coming at the same problem from different angles (I think). 

I think that Jeff is focusing on fundamentally re-wiring the conference experience at a level that is probably much deeper than what I am thinking of but also maybe harder to get to - maybe I can offer a potential signpost to Jeff's ultimate destination.

I am thinking about this kind of neo-nomadic conference crowd that moves from event to event. The ones who have been there before, who are speaking, who are considering just flying into town to give their session and then hopping right back out again. What are we Master Storytellers? Veterans of the Conference Wars? Whatever you call us (annoying know-it-alls?) we're out there and we're taking time away from home, work, etc to be there and we'd probably like to get something out of it. I also realize that we are a small percentage compared to the rest of the conference so we can't expect everything to be catered toward us. That being said...what if anything can we propose to conference organizers to keep us interested, engaged and excited about their events?

Do we create some kind of event-within-an-event that you have to be allowed into? A secret club of attendees and speakers who are weary to their souls about seeing another presentation of rapid-template-based development or another buzzword-turned-product vendor presentation. We want deeper thinking. Conversations. Community. I mean of course we want free WiFi and power strips at every table but who doesn't?

Since I was just out at GDC, I was also hearing a lot about how to keep users coming back to social games - subscriptions, premium content - maybe there is something there that conference organizers can use. Some dynamic that can be drawn out from Farmville or Epic Pet Wars that can be used to keep us grizzled old veterans excited about next year's iteration of your conference. 

Unless of course you don't want us around. That's cool too. I said before, we're a small population, maybe it just makes economic sense for you to ignore us and just work for new, fresh attendees. Maybe though we're getting to be the ones approving peoples' travel to these events and we'd be more likely to approve things that we were going to or at least still interested in. Whichever way - I do understand that there is an ROI consideration to be done here.

Let's talk about it though- I look forward to seeing what Jeff Hurt's ideas are on this and all of you.

Thanks, now please remember your lunch tickets and move along to pick up your conference bag.....

Comments

[Kevin Thorn]

Although I've only started speaking at conferences the past couple years, I get amped up just to be in the company of so many like-minded thinkers and meet conference goers who are seeking more knowledge.

I've participated in what Jeff refers to as "Flash Learning Mobs" but didn't know it had an official name! They do add extreme value as anyone who still wants to dig deeper in the topic can do so with peers in an informal social setting. Not sure it can be 'organized' though as they are impromptu sessions based on the topic at hand. These FLM's just sort of appear.

I'll be in Orlando next week speaking at LS2010 and the eLearning Guild organizers have recognized the 'after session conversations' with the speakers are important, but realized that those FLM's interfere with the next session following in the same room. They have created "Speaker Clinics" in blocks of time on the same day as the session to allow participants to chat with the speaker outside fo the formal setting. We'll see out it goes but kudos for at least trying something new.

As for speakers in general, perhaps organizers could put together a pre-conference day (half day) just for speakers to "think" together. Or even a post-conference dinner party, banquet, etc. to discuss the previous few days.

[Maria Lorna A. Kunnath]

Conferences are always a good thing but yes I agree that there has to be more of those informal coffees, dinners, walk in the town within the conference....sort of a micro meeting ....but then again how do you plan or organize such events as to make it conference-relevant? In my experience, people have posted announcements on the bulletin board at the conference site and have joined in....it is fun, but to say that meaningful conversations on the intended topic has materialized....not affirmative although I must say new friendships are formed only for the duration of the conference. Social media has changed the dynamics of new interactions because now people can follow up on conversations and interact multimodally.

[Jeff Hurt]

Mark (& Robby):

Very interesting and I totally agree that conversations are where "it" occurs--both the connections and the learning. I go to conferences to learn from my peers...how's that for a "both and" situation. And, I believe some of the best learning happens in our informal, social conversations that occur around the conference's messages and content.

I've seen an interesting thing begin to happen at traditional conferences lately: "The flash learning mob." People leave a general session and want to discuss the content with peers. The conference organizers didn't leave enough time or create a breakout discussion group on the topic, so the attendees create a flash learning mob. They tweet or text to others that they are in a hallway or empty room and invite others to join them to discuss the topic. These impromptu learning mobs start out small but grow throughout the conference. Wise organizers would do well to capitalize on these attendee-driven experiences as these are the type of life-giving connections that I want to have at conferences.

As a frequent speaker at these events, I love the chance to sit and talk with other speakers and thought leaders. I like what you suggest of a really live thought leader think tank specific for the speakers. I'd add a formal facilitator or two or three to the group and you could have an ignition of wild fire that would create some constructive disruptive innovation for sure.

I think you're on the right track Mark. Keep asking those organizers for more than what they are giving. I'm right there with you! Time to create breaks and breakouts with a purpose and speaker think tank sessions!

[twitter.com/cogdog]

Remove the bulk of conference schedules that are one to many content transmission sessions; I've seen few where the same information could not be done asynchronously.

I'd like to see one where the face to face time is used to actually do something rather than talking about doing things

[Robby Robson]

Mark,

If you go to five conferences and spend 4 days at each (including travel), that is the equivalent of a working month - so you have to ask yourself whether you accomplish more at those conferences than by spending a month at home reading, conversing with colleagues (via IM/Phone/email/Social Media), and researching with the world of data at your fingertips. If your goal is to market a product or market yourself, then conferences may be worthshile, but if your goal is to engage in "authentic conversations" or to learn, I think doing the conference cirtuit is questionable. And we haven't even considered the added travel and living expenses.

Jeff Hurt's post is about redesigning the experience, but implicit in it is the assumption that a conference is there to create value, and the value he has focused on is creating community connections. The value hidden in your post is learning and interacting with other professionals, if I read it correctly. I have to wonder if you started out with any of those values (or similar) and a blank slate, whether "let's have a conference" would be near the top of the list of mechanisms to get what you wanted.

Which leads me to posit that conferences are marketing events plain and simple and you should start with that as a premise if you want to make them more effective.