Over the years the number of conferences and seminars has grown almost in proportion to the amount of news and information available to us. This often means that by the time the conference actually comes around, what was breaking news at the planning stage is now old hat. When so many different events all feature the same subjects and topics, and often delivered by the same people - an opinion or perspective is no more valuable for having been repeated several times over - it does beg the question is the industry conference still providing any
value? The answer of course is yes. In the end no amount of reading, blogging, sharing, messaging and social networking will ever be the same as meeting someone face to face, and hearing the passion and conviction behind the opinion. Conferences provide an opportunity for likeminded individuals with common interests who would otherwise never meet, to interact, share ideas and opinions, and explore different angles and perspectives in a way which other forms of media do not. This is extremely valuable and critical to maintaining an industry which is vibrant, inventive and sustainable. Unfortunately, the fact that there are now so many different events all competing with each other, over a fairly short time frame, does mean that the value has been somewhat diluted. When delegates pay to attend an event, they have an expectation that they will hear and see something new. Sometimes the expectation is met, but all too
often it is not – what they get is a physical presentation of an opinion or perspective they are already familiar with. Increasingly, my discussions with friends and colleagues regarding conference attendance are peppered with comments such as ‘It’s all same old same old’, ‘I’m going because so and so is going’, ‘It’s a chance to do some networking’ or ‘I’ve never been there before’ (meaning location of event, rather than the event itself!) – suggesting that for many, certainly within my circle, conference attendance is driven less by content and more by circumstance. What the conference organisers need to do is find a way of bringing back the value. Perhaps it is time for them to have their own conference to explore how they can better co-ordinate their events to avoid subject matter replication, better year round scheduling to avoid clashes, perhaps adding workshops and more interactive sessions, and even look at how and where they
BUSINESSMAG • ISSUE OCTOBER 2014
Since those early days of the gaming conference the world we live and work in has changed beyond measure. Today, we have a plethora of publications, news feeds, blogs, industry associations, all competing for ‘breaking news’ whether its product, people or just gossip - and a combination of Linked In and more employee movement between jobs and organisations allows us to network without actually leaving the office.
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