What do you want to get out of a conference?

We here at IXD are lucky that the company organises a couple of different conferences like; Frontend and the CMS days. Then we are very excited about our partnership with Gulltaggen. However that is not all because we also get the chance to go abroad for a conference each year.

Late last year we started planning and speculating about which conference to go to. I can tell you this wasn’t easy, there are so many great conferences out there. However it didn’t take us very long until we started focusing on the mother of all conferences in our field, SXSW! Why do you go to a conference and what do you want to get out of a conference?

Learn new stuff

We are lucky (some might say unlucky) that we work in a field that never sleeps, constantly evolving. Not so long ago we coded everything in tables, we hadn’t heard about Facebook, Twitter, iPads, CSS, UX or whatever that rocks your boat today.  Of course we can read about anything online but getting a presentation of something by a passionate speaker is something else, and then to discuss things further with the speaker or other people attending that same conference, is priceless.

Confirm my believes or not

I tend to have strong opinions about how things should be done, some of those opinions turn out to be right and some turn out to be a total failure. Nevertheless it is nice to hear speakers that share your opinion, to get that confirmation that you are not alone. That there are others out there that think the same way as you do, of course they might be wrong also but at least you are not alone. Other times I have gone and listen to people that have a different opinion than mine and with their passion and arguments have managed to win me over, I am not too stubborn to change my mind.

Inspiration and motivation

Sometimes I don’t learn anything from a speaker, nothing new, nothing I didn’t know before. However I come out inspired and motivated, full of energy to take on what ever comes my way. The enthusiasm or energy of the some speakers can spread like the common cold, giving you that extra boost you needed. Take the Elliot Jay Stocks presentation I attended at Frontend 2010, I didn’t learn anything new, but to see the details and thoughts he had put in his designs was amazing and has made me a better designer today.

Social aspect

An aspect that is very often overlooked is the social one. I believe that this is one of the most crucial one about going to a conference. You meet new people from all around the world, but all with a common interest; web development! It is great, it is inspiring to see and hear what other people do and how they do things. This can lead to everlasting friendships, new career opportunities, great cooperation’s or whatever you are looking for.

Of course it is nice to get to know some new people but getting closer to the people you already know is even nicer. So try to get your colleagues with you, travel as a group and bond like never before and come back as a stronger team, working much better together than before that in return results in better quality of work.

Conclusion

Not all of us have the chance to attend conferences; I know that after working for many years as a freelancer, so if you get the chance then jump on it. There is so much to gain, both professionally as well as personally.  If the conference is good you will ride a long time on the wave of inspiration you get and your motivation will be at an all time high for a long time.

What about you? Do you planning to attend any conference this year? Which one? Why do you want to attend? Have you been to SXSW before? How was it? Any tips and tricks for us?