6 Tips for ITSM Conference Attendance – words Alexa Wang
Any ITSM Service Management conference that you attend can open up wonderful, exciting, and new opportunities for you. Not only for skill and knowledge upgradation, but such conferences are also excellent ways to get to know people from your field. Meeting like-minded people can open up a realm of possibilities.
ITSM is evolving every day with the advancement of technology. IT Service Management involves a lot of processes, workshops and conferences help you get familiar with ITSM Software and the various ITSM tools that other organizations are using.
Here are 6 tips that you should keep in mind while attending an ITSM conference.
Keep the outlines in mind – When you have decided to go to an ITSM conference, prepare an agenda for yourself. Considering the outline, decide in advance which are the issues that you especially need to consider. Study and get yourself familiar with the topics that will be discussed at the conference. Pay special attention if you decide to attend a highly technical session. Also, look out for what you may gain from the conference. If there are speakers whom you would like to hear out especially, check the timing of their session and be sure not to miss them. If there are any topics that interest you and you are not sure of the speaker, do check out the session anyway. You may find something wonderfully surprising.
Plan according to sessions- Inevitably there will be a simultaneous session that interest you. In such cases plan which session you wish to attend the most. Not just the topics should get your consideration but also take into account the speakers. You should also keep in mind about who will be attending the sessions you plan to attend. Meeting people from your mind who share similar interests is extremely important for you. Instead of hoping to meet a client or an investor whom you had been planning to meet, know for sure which event they are attending. You can check Facebook pages for interested candidates or twitter. You can even ask for their appointment before or after the session. They might just grant it to you as they will be in that vicinity.
Participate – Once you have an agenda and a plan, it is time to execute it. Not just be a reluctant observer in the conference but participate as much as you can. Engage and get involved in the discussion. Never hold back your opinions or stop yourself from clearing any doubts. Also, keep noting down everything that you had been learning. Make flowcharts or any other way which you find brings clarity to understanding. Diagrams work excellently by presenting facts and sequences for easy comprehension. Keep an eye out for a resource that you might use for future reference. Be sure to follow any speaker who delivers a topic in easier terms and not through flowery language. Following speakers on influencers whom you get introduced at conferences on social media will also increase your scope of networking.
Focus on networking – No other event can provide you with such a wonderful opportunity to explore the world of ITSM. A conference acts as a platform for interacting and communicating with people in the same field. You get to know your peers from all across the country or globe at international conferences you also get a chance to hear out the speakers who are generally the movers and shakers of the industry. A casual interaction with a peer may open up possibilities that you could have only imagined. Make sure to stay in touch with any new contacts. Chose to acquaint yourself well enough with everybody. Take the conversation to social media or through emails. Never forget to obtain contact details of a person whose interest and intention in the world of ITSM matches yours. These are opportunities that don’t come easily so make sure that you make the most of it.
Technology – Never shy away from using technology for the even the simplest functions. If you feel you can plan and you can remember things, then be aware that you can forget as well! Download apps that most conferences provide these days to plan and schedule your attendance and help you chart the conference most effectively. Being smart with technology will always be an advantage that you need at all times. If possible use IOT to get ahead. If you are taking notes on your notepad, connect with the delegates and new acquaintances on social media. Do not segregate such tasks. Practice performing such tasks simultaneously rather than in segregation. It also will help you stay organized, plan your schedule better so that you get to make the most of the conference.
Share – The knowledge that you typically gain at such conferences should not be kept to yourself. While there are of course lessons or contacts that you earn are only for your benefit. Sharing and spreading the knowledge gained at ITSM conference with your colleagues and even on social media will only broaden your horizons. Open up conversations and participate in discussions. It helps you gain not just perspectives but solutions. Brainstorming sessions are ideal for innovation followed by participation in an ITSM conference.
Planning for the program you wish to attend will give you more control over the goals you want to achieve through participation in the conference.