The weeks after the annual Qlik Luminary Meetup are always hectic – perhaps even more hectic than the week of the Meetup itself! I’ll explain why later, but I’ll start by looking back to the biggest, and arguably best, Luminary Meetup so far.
Luminary Meetup 2019
The Luminary Meetup in 2019 boasted the longest list of attendees – with around 40 of the 120 or so Luminaries making the pilgrimage to Lund, Sweden, late in October. The Meetup is a must-attend, Luminary-only event – but this is only one of the attributes which make it special.
Adding the Qlik personnel involved – including those responsible for the Luminary Program – this might feel like a big group. Not a bit of it – it feels more like a family. As a three-time Luminary, I look forward equally to both catching up with old friends and meeting the new Class. There is also usually a little disappointment when we learn who is missing.
The Meetup itself is a short, sharp, action-packed couple of days worth of sharing and challenging in equal measure, between Qlik and the Luminaries. Just like any family, the debate is lively!
This family Meetup was bittersweet in one respect, however. We learned that Viktoria Lindback, a Senior Manager at Qlik, and one of the torchbearers of the Luminary Program, would be leaving Qlik to pursue an MBA. At least we were able to give her a fitting send off, with our warmest wishes for the future!
Luminary Program 2020
Applications are now open for the 2020 Program, and these must be submitted by the end of November. So why would you want to apply? Personally speaking, I gain most from just ‘talking Qlik’ with like-minded individuals – listening to others experiences and sharing our own stories generates so many ideas that we can discuss within our team. In addition to the Meetup, there are other virtual Luminary-only events held throughout the year, giving more opportunities for the exchange of knowledge.
I also admit to enjoying the recognition that the Qlik Luminary status brings. Whether at physical events, or online, the staus is recognised by Qlik, Partners and other Customers and this means that it is a pleasure to wear the badge.
You should read the reference material, search online for #QlikLuminary and then come join our family!
More at: https://www.qlik.com/us/solutions/customers/qlik-luminaries
QlikWorld 2020
Formerly known as Qonnections, this is another must-attend annual event – but the first big difference between this event and the Luminary Meetup is that QlikWorld is public. The second big difference, as you can probably guess, is the scale. With more than 3,000 delegates, QlikWorld consumes a large conference centre for its duration – actually for the whole week, as delegates arrive the weekend before, and sometimes stay on afterwards.
However, despite their differences, these events do also have many things in common. Foremost here is the enthusiasm and passion for the Qlik ecosystem – and the sharing of these emotions is infectious. Like the Meetup, the QlikWorld environment encourages the exchange of ideas – there are hundreds of Breakout Sessions, hosted by Qlik, Partners and Customers, covering the Qlik platform from end-to-end, from all angles.
Hosting a Breakout Session is a real privilege – to be able to share your journey, experience and knowledge with others is very special.
QlikWorld hits Phoenix, Arizona in May 2020 – just be there!
More at: https://qlikworld.qlik.com/
Why so busy?
To finish, back to what makes the weeks after the Luminary Meetup so busy…
It comes down to both looking back and looking forwards.
Looking back, catching up on what you missed after being out of the office; then making sense of what you’ve learned at the Meetup and working out how you are going to write it up, and weave it into your day job.
Looking forwards, preparing your Luminary Program application; then constructing a story which will be interesting for the audience and working out how you are going to write it up, and weave it into your QlikWorld Breakout Session submission.
Phew!
The good news is, as of now, I’m offically looking forwards!
#Qlik #QlikLuminary #LuminaryMeetup #QlikWorld #WeAreWebhelp
@StephWhyte88 @ProductDev_WUK @WebhelpUK
Neil's Product Development Blog 