Are you thinking about going to Tech Ed in Orlando this June? Do you have topics you'd like to discuss with other attendees?
Submit your ideas as topics for Birds-of-a-Feather (BOF) discussions and volunteer to be a moderator!
According to some of last year's attendees, BOFs were one of the 3 best things about Tech Ed 2007. While it may seem far in the future, it's time to start thinking about topics for the Birds of a Feather sessions at Tech Ed Developers in June.
With the conference split into two consecutive Tech Ed events for the first time this year, INETA is organizing the Birds-of-a-Feather sessions at Tech Ed 2008 Developers in Orlando June 3-6, 2008 while our sister organization, Culminis, is organizing the BOF sessions at Tech Ed IT Professionals, June 10-13.
If you're not familiar with the concept, a Birds-of-a-Feather session is an open discussion lead by a moderator who is not a Microsoft employee. The sessions are not presentations, there are no projectors. Unlike the Keynotes and Breakout sessions which are mostly one to many communication, Birds-of-a-Feather sessions are many to many communication and don't necessarily focus on Microsoft products or technology. They are about people talking with people - connecting, sharing, networking, and creating community. It's that simple, and that's what we do best.
Over the past several years Birds of a Feather sessions have become fully integrated into the Tech Ed agenda. This means you'll see them in the online scheduling tool and they'll be listed in the mini-guide. There will be daytime sessions along with the other conference technical tracks, as well as an All-BOF Night on Wednesday, June 3rd from 6:30 to 9:00 PM.
As a result of this integration, BOF Submissions and Voting close on March 19th!
The BOFs are all about community participation, and community is a critical part of their success. INETA and Culminis solicit session proposals - you submit topics you would like to have discussed - your peers vote on they you want to see as BOF sessions - and then the organizers select, schedule, publicize and organize the Birds-of-a-Feather sessions. If your BOF topic submission is selected, you are then asked to moderate the session. You are welcome to submit more than one topic!! Anyone attending a BOF can contribute to the discussion.
Do your part to continue the community tradition and get involved now! Here's how you can participate:
1. Get the word out. Blog about the Call for Topics, or post the Call in forums you participate in. Let folks know about the voting and about your favorite topics.
2. Propose a Topic. If you're going to be at Tech Ed - if there's a topic you'd like to discuss with your peers and you'd be willing to moderate that discussion- click through and submit the topic.
3. Vote. Check the Tech Ed Developers BOF Voting Page and as you see topics appear that interest you, vote for them!
4. Stay Tuned. As BOF session ideas come in, they will be added to the Tech Ed Developers BOF Voting Page for you to select. When the Tech Ed Schedule Builder goes live in April, mark your calendars and plan to attend and join in great discussions. We'll also have more to say about how you can volunteer to be a Host at one or more BOF sessions in the next INETA newsletter.
For Instructions check out: http://www.ineta.org/newsletters/misc/2008-02/bof_instructions.pdf
Bob Goodearl
co-chair, Birds-of-a-Feather sessions for Tech Ed U.S. 2008 Developers