The #1 Reason to Attend SEPGNA: The Social Experience
Howdy Partners. Land sakes alive, the big event in the ‘ol West is nearly upon us! Yes, the SEPG North America rodeo is just is a couple of shakes of a lamb’s tail away (March 11 through March 15), and that means it’s time to rope in my Top Ten reasons to be there. Here’s a round-up of Reason #10, Reason #9, Reason #8, Reason #7, Reason #6, Reason #5, Reason #4, Reason #3 and Reason #2. So today we’re gonna get down to it and ride this steed into town – together.
So let’s saddle up one last time and finish my list of Top 10 Reasons to attendSEPG North America 2012.
Drum roll, please! Reason #1 is …
The Social Experience.
That’s right, the people! People are why we come together. People are what make us a community. As I mentioned in other posts, I’ve been coming to the Conference for the last umpteen years, and this is by far the best time of the year for me – due to the people.
We work and live in an amazing community of really sharp, forward-leaning people. Getting together every year at SEPGNA is a great way to interact and collaborate with them. We’ll hang out, learn, talk, laugh and raise a glass to everyone’s success.
I’m not just talking about Partners and SEI folks, either. Customers will be there, real –life adopters of the CMMI. You’ll mix with a lot of different companies and have a chance to hear their experiences about how they did it, the good, the bad and the ugly. And if you hang out for happy hour you will REALLY hear some tales!
(Cue the Spaghetti Western whistle tune.)
Here are just a few of the many opportunities we’ll have to socialize at this year’s event:
Monday – the show opens in the afternoon with a big shindig on the conference floor. This is where many of us will be reunited for the first time since last year. Come out, meet vendors, meet old and new friends, and enjoy a beverage of your choice!
Also on Monday is the SEI Partner Lunch where Partners will meet old friends and get to know new ones. You’ll have a chance to hear others’ experiences with what’s going on with the CMMI and the market. This will also be my first opportunity to speak with the Partner group in my new role as Chairman of the Partner Advisory Board. But it doesn’t end there.
Tuesday – The good times carry over to the conference reception on Tuesday evening where you’ll experience the CMMI social event of the century! OK, sounds pretty geeky, but it’s always a great time.
After the reception stop out at the famous ISD party and its equally famous band – The Model Mappers! They play at Gecko’s Nob Hill from 8:30 – 11:30 pm. It’s just a short ride from the convention center. Every year, they really go all out for their customers, and everyone talks about it for months!
Wednesday – if you’re one of Broadsword’s customers, you are invited to join us for our annual Client Appreciation Dinner and User Group. It’s a diverse, eclectic group, and we always meet at one of the finest dining establishments in town. We’ll eat, drink and be merry, well into the night. (Locate a Broadsword representative at SEPGNA for more info).
Other Partners put on events throughout the week, so keep your ear to the ground and you might just catch a late-night celebration.
Those are just a few of the formal events. But there are far more informal occasions to interact, talk and get to know each other better. Personally, I find these chance meetings to be among the most enjoyable of all.
Last year I had an impromptu discussion with David Greer, Hillel Glazer, and a few others on the need to collect CMMI User Stories, and a new research project was born! Stay tuned for our results on that one.
So that’s it, my friends. Those are my Top Ten Reasons to attend the SEPGNA this year. As you can see, SEPG 2012 is a win-win, and everyone should come to ABQ next week. Best of all, it’s not too late to register – and we’ll see you in Albuquerque!
Need more reasons to go? You gotta be kidding me!
Jeff Dalton is President of Broadsword Solutions Corporation and the incoming Chairman of the SEI’s Partner Advisory Board. He is a SCAMPI Lead Appraiserwhose blog can be read at www.asktheCMMIAppraiser.com. He can be reached at appraiser@broadswordsolutions.com.
