If you are exhausted after reading my previous post, then it’s understandable. Make no mistake, Qonnections is a full-on event – don’t let anyone describe it as a ‘jolly’! – and as such, you need to be prepared! Of course, there are opportunities to relax and have some fun, but if you want to get the most out of the few days in the whirlwind, then my top tips are exactly what you need.
Plan Ahead – come with a clear intent, whether that’s to get certified (a great opportunity!), spend time with your Qlik partner, meet other partners or customers, catch up with vendors, meet Qlik contacts – or all of the above. The days go by so quickly, so unless you are prepared, it will be a blur!
Make Time – to relax and unwind, ideally after the conference, to reflect on what you’ve picked up. Make your notes, create your follow-up To Do list, compile your conference report, write your blog – do whatever you need to do to close off the event. Then you might even begin to prepare for your return to the “real world”! I found that catching up with, and responding to, the weeks’ e-mails was much easier in the warm sun, with a cold drink at hand!
Breakout Booking – use the sessions website as soon as it is made available, read the session content carefully, identify the speakers you’d like to hear from, plan ahead (see above), and book your places early – if you end up on a waiting list, don’t despair, you may still make the cut on the day! Also, why not speak to your Partner or Qlik contacts well in advance, and submit a presentation so that you can share YOUR story with all of us.
Accommodation – stay in the conference hotel – you will be close to the action (whether that be for food, drink or sessions), you can fit in a power-nap if necessary, and you can pop back and change your shoes if the marching between rooms is taking its toll on your feet. I only brought flats this year, so I coped just fine.
Buddy – bring a colleague, or two – unless your plan is one-dimensional, you will have to split up and cover multiple sessions, since with so many rich and interesting topics, there is always a clash. Even with a buddy you’ll be missing more than you hit. However, many of the sessions have materials available for download afterwards, so all is not lost. We’ll see whether Qlik can improve on this, following my suggestion in the last post!
Be Social – both online and in person. Twitter, Linked In, What’s App – at least! – are all used extensively throughout the event – as is the custom-developed Qonnections Mobile App (an absolute must!). Get your virtual game on, so that you don’t miss out. There are also numerous opportunities to meet people over food, drinks and excursions to share notes and experiences – try not to pass these up, because you never know what might happen. As if to prove my point, I’ve just had a What’s App message from a fellow Qlik Luminary, inviting me to join their group for dinner! Back soon!
Being Starstruck – assuming that you are far enough along your Qlk journey to contemplate attending Qonnections, you will be in an environment where you’ll meet ‘stars’ (or even your heroes!). It’s easy to become starstruck. Don’t fight it. Embrace it! Clear your throat, approach with enthusiasm, extend your hand, and introduce yourself – then ask for the selfie or autograph! Remember that you already have a ‘Qonnection’, and that’s all the ice-breaker you’ll ever need!
In my final post in this series, I have a few words of thanks to share – it might get a little emotional, so have a hankie at the ready!
@Qlik #QlikLuminary @GCSToolkitTeam @StephCrooks @WebhelpUK
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