As you might know I’m Programme Chair for the SPA Conference. In the past I’ve also done this for XPDay and presented or run sessions at both (and others). I find it a hugely rewarding activity, particularly because it feels like I’m giving back to communities which have helped and inspired me so much in the past. However there are plenty of other reasons why running sessions or presentations at conferences or community events is a good thing:
Free entry
Having a session accepted at SPA means free entry. In some cases like Agile 2012 (submissions close Feb 19th) this also includes travel and hotel expenses.
Use it as an excuse to learn something like a new language or concept
My friend Willem did this at SPA last year – he wanted to learn Puppet so he organised a session about it and went away and learnt it.
Try your ideas out in front of smart people
SPA particularly attracts a wide range of people, most of them very smart and experienced. Running a session around an idea or technology is a great way to exploit their knowledge (people are generally more than happy to do so if it’s an interesting idea).
Improve your self-confidence and communication skills
There’s nothing like standing in front of 15-50 extremely smart people – and being appreciated for doing so – to boost your confidence. Having considered myself deeply inferior to the likes of those who presented at conferences I was tricked into submitting some proposals only to find they all got accepted. Even more amazing was they actually went down really well.
Career
If I see on someone’s CV that they’ve presented sessions at community events they rise up in my estimations greatly and I’m sure that’s the same for pretty much anywhere.
SPA Submissions finish at the end of January. You only need to have the idea formulated now. The conference is in July so you’ve got 6 months to make it sweet. Get it in this by Sunday and you’ll benefit from the feedback process which starts next week.
What are you waiting for?
SPA is like no other conference. Nowhere else do you get a programme so diverse and immersive. Over the last two years I’ve:
- Had my mind bent with Haskell (SPA2009 was dubbed Haskell2009 there was so much Haskell hacking going on).
- Had my mind bent even further with Clojure.
- Been hit with the Sword of Integration.
- Through practical exercises, learnt what kind of tasks are suited to pairing.
- Built a real time web Twitter client.
- Learnt about social objects and why Dilbert cartoons might be harmful.
- Battled robots built in at least 4 different languages (and lost).
Rather uniquely, all sessions at SPA are interactive and involve participation. I find it’s a much richer learning experience (than presentations where you end up spending half your time day-dreaming and, since the advent of smart phones, twittering and checking your email) and also a great way to meet and socialise with peers.
Lead a session
There’s no better way to attend than leading a session. As well as getting the opportunity to share your passion with an enthusiastic and diverse bunch ranging from industry thought-leaders to academics you get to attend for free. If you’ve never run a session before don’t be afraid, we have an eager band of reviewers who will help you groom your proposal and if accepted, a flock of shepherds (SPA veterans) who’ll be able to offer advice and guidance to shape your session and ensure it’s full of “SPA-ness”.
More details are on the SPA website. The deadline for proposals is 28th February, but get them in nice and early if you want to benefit from getting lots of feedback.
Register now (it’s a real bargain!)
If you don’t fancy running a session standard tickets are currently only £350 (+VAT) for four days of absorbing sessions including lunch and some evening meals!
If you’ve been saving up to go to QCon, why not come to SPA2011 and spend the money you’ve saved on a skiing Holiday or a couple of iPads instead?
SPA 2011
June 12-15th, BCS, London
Software Process Advancement 2009 (SPA) is coming up in a month (April 5-8). Here are four good reasons to come along:
- With so much competition for jobs right now you need to have as many tools in your box as you can. SPA is the place to get them.
- It’s a real hands-on conference. Most of the sessions will be highly interactive which means you’re less likely to find your eyes glazing over after lunch. It’s also relatively small and intimate, which is key as at the conferences I’ve been to the best conversations generally happen outside of the programmed sessions.
- It’s a bargain! This year the organisers made the wise decision not to make it a residential conference (it usually is) which had significantly reduced the cost. You can attend the full 4 days for as little as £570 + vat, 2 days for £350 + vat or any 1 day for £190 + vat. Details here.
- I will be running two sessions, Retrospective Surgery along with Matt Wynne and Dealing with the Estimation Fallacy.
Hope to see you there :)
