Is the Annual Conference/Forum Worth it?

[cognos_guru]

Hey everyone,

I am considering attending the annual IBM Cognos conference in Las Vegas this year and I was wondering from past participants if it is worth the cost?  It's difficult to make a convincing argument to my employer to send me to Las Vegas for 4 days,.  :-)

Are you classes and breakout sessions informative?  I heard you have the chance to actually attend their training courses and/or sit a complimentary certification exam.  Are the networking events useful?

Thanks so much!

[Ryan Meyer]

I thought it was worth it last year.  Try to attend as many of the breakout sessions as you can on the topics you are most interested in.  For me this was the technical stuff (modeling, reporting, OLAP, etc). If a session isn't what you expected, get up and leave, have in mind backup sessions for each time slot.  The free certification was great also, I was able to get three certs at no cost.  This might be able to help you sell it to your company, as those tests are $200 each I think.  Also the cert testing center was open the day after the conference.  So, testing didn't conflict with the sessions I wanted to attend. 

[Lynn]

I missed last year but attended the two prior years and felt it was a very worthwhile event. I am an independent contractor and the cost to attend comes out of my pocket (plus lost billing days). I am planning to go this year.

The technical sessions are the ones I typically select and most have been quite good (though a few duds now and again). There are plenty of good things to learn and sometimes useful information on what is coming soon.

From a networking perspective I get to see people from consulting firms that place me (or might place me in the future), clients I've done work for over the years, and also other consultants I've had a chance alongside of. Of course there are always plenty of new people to be met also!

For those who are employed at a single company (rather than consultants) I think there is great value in seeing outside your own environment to get new ideas and fresh approaches. Developing a network of peers you can share ideas, techniques and issues with is a huge learning opportunity.

From another standpoint I must say that the number of calls and inquiries for Cognos resources is on the rise. A few days at a conference is a small price to pay to keep a good employee happy! Professional development is an important aspect of one's career and ideally a good employer is willing to foster that.

[cognos_guru]

Thanks for both of your answers!