Preparing for DevLearn09 - Part 4 - FREE Consulting

...or as we like to call it, DEMOFEST!  Getting feedback is critical to the success of any project.  So why not get over 1000 eLearning pros to review your latest project and give you the BEST feedback?  Sharing your work and learning from your peers is what DEMOFEST is all about.  No prizes.  No contest.  No fear of failure.  Its just you and your peers talking shop about YOUR project.  I can't think of any better feedback mechanism than this opportunity at DevLearn. 

So, if you're registered or plan on registering then you should also dig up your latest project and fill out the DEMOFEST submission form.  Don't let the submission form fool you.  We are not looking for "the best of the best", we simply want to know what your project is so we can help prepare you and the other attendees for the event.  We also use it to screen out vendors who may see this as an opportunity to sell to you or "win" something that will help promote a product or service.  We had winners of different categories in the past, but that clouded the event's intent.  So we are going back to basics this year. 

Tell your boss, or the bean counter, that DevLearn is the cheapest consulting you'll pay for EVER!  And you are guaranteed to come back to work with ideas for improving your training effectiveness and do it better, faster, and cheaper.  DEMOFEST is a big part of your learning at DevLearn.  Don't let this opportunity pass you by.  As the money guys would say, you're "leaving money on the table" if you miss DEMOFEST.

MY THOUGHTS:  I'd love to see someone submit a project that was a failure! Yea, that's right!  A colossal FAILURE!  We see far too many glowing success stories.  I believe if we aren't failing then we aren't pushing the limits enough...or we're just spin-marketing too much.  So, I dare you!  Bring on your biggest failure, and be proud of that learning opportunity.

Preparing for DevLearn - Part 3 - Don't forget!

Don't forget!  Since we're in learning its important to start applying those memory strategies so YOU don't forget the important things for DevLearn.  Besides comfortable shoes, pants, etc, you should dress for chilly conference rooms.  And don't forget to get your dry-cleaning before you leave.  FEDEx got my Guild shirts too me just in the nick of time last year ;-)
The most important thing is to clear your mind, and come prepared to ENGAGE!  This isn't a "sit around and listen" crowd.  So, be prepared to think, connect, play, and LEARN.

Image Capture Device: Camera/VideoCam/cellphone
Capturing images can be better/faster/cheaper than writing everything down.  Snap a shot!  Remember a "picture is worth a thousand words" right?  DevLearn is YOUR opportunity to step outside your comfort zone and try something new.  So, let's try capturing our experiences with pictures.  And in order to truly understand how much fun this can be you should also set up a Flickr and/or YouTube account.  As soon as you take a photo you send it to Flickr and your colleagues will be immediately updated.  They will love you for this. 
If you are into video and can't capture video on your phone you should try out a Flip cam.  You'll need your laptop so you can get the videos downloaded, edited, and posted to YouTube or Flickr.

Bring Your Laptop
I feel kind of strange even saying this, but yea, bring your laptop.  You're meeting people, connecting, learning, demoing new tools and web sites/apps.  Many DevLearn presenters expect you to bring your laptop to the session.  So, don't feel like your being rude.  You aren't!  Its expected.  How else are you going to blog, twitter and...um...kill zombies? The wifi is excellent at the Fairmont and so being connected is easy.  Live blogging your experience is a great way for you to stay connected with your team members NOT attending the event.

Business Cards

This might be a no-brainer, but I forget biz cards more times than I can remember.  This year I got it done early with the NEW Minicards from Moo.com.  Now if I can just remember to get them packed into my bag.

Get Social

Join DevLearn09 LIVE! I know I already mentioned this in the last post.  Trust me.  Getting connected early saves a bunch of time when you are AT the event.  So, the more you can get some chatter out of the way early, the more time there is for serious conversation when you are F2F in San Jose.  Seriously!  Meet, talk about where you're from, projects you are working on, family, the weather, life, etc. online BEFORE you get to the event.  This makes for MUCH richer conversations at the event.  This is also what gets you from handshake to hug...unless, of course, you are not a hugger then I suppose it doesn't matter.  But, you get the idea.

Instructional Alternate Reality Game (iARG)

You might also be wondering what all the fuss is over Zombies at DevLearn09?  Well, this is another trust moment.  Trust me.  There is a significant connection between killing zombies and learning.  I don't want to give away all of the details, for two reasons: 1) I don't want to spoil the fun for you, and 2) I don't have any of the details because I'm playing too!  This is a "Don't Forget" because the game will be a LOT more fun if you get signed up and join a team before the event.  Then you can just focus on playing the game instead of wrestling with setup.

Brochure (for the flight)

If you MUST procrastinate and tend to other priorities...like...oh...say...maybe...your JOB, then be sure to slip your brochure into your carry-on so you can start highlighting the sessions you'd like to attend. And plan your activities once you're on the ground.

I'm certain there are more "Don't Forget" items so I will ask my colleagues who have attended in the past to add their thoughts in the comments.  What did I forget?

Preparing for DevLearn - Part 2 - Get Social

In Part 1 of this little series we learned how important it is to get registered for the entire week of activities in order to get the most bang for your corporate buck:  Adobe Learning Summit on Monday, Certificate Programs on Tuesday, and DevLearn09 Wed-Fri.  In case you are just now realizing that you forgot to register, here is the link again. REGISTER NOW!

Step 2: Join the Scene - Get Social
The PEOPLE are the BEST thing about DevLearn...ALL the people.  Not just the keynotes, and other speakers, but YOU, the attendee, and over 1000 of your eLearning colleagues.  Instead of waiting until you get to San Jose to start meeting people you can start meeting them right now. 

DevLearn09 LIVE! is the social official social networking site for DevLearn09. Sign up NOW! This is a great place to get a running start at DevLearn.

So, what do I mean by a running start? I mean ask questions, answer questions, meeting new people, decide what sessions to attend, and so much more. Yes, DevLearn is fun and filled with great activities, but the bottom line is that you've got business problems to solve, 2010 eLearning strategies to craft, and skillsets to boost. You are not alone in your quest. You may think you're situation is unique, but its not. There are countless other eLearning professionals working through similar, if not the exact same, issues.

After you sign up be sure to complete your profile. Don't forget a picture of yourself. Then click on the Participants tab and find people you want to connect with. Or post a question in forum (Forums tab). You may be feeling bold and start your own group (Groups tab). Groups are a GREAT way to gather "birds of a feather". Perhaps your specific expertise is in training a sales force, then you should start a group around that topic. Others who have the same focus will appreciate your effort and join. This is also a great way to expose your leadership skills.

And of course the best social learning experiences are collaborative efforts.  So join a team and fight zombies.  Yes, you read that right!  The Zombie Apocalypse has started and the fight has begun.  Serious Games are a HUGE topic and alternate reality games can be a fun addition to your learning solution tool box.  DevLearn is your chance to try it and share your thoughts on how it went.  Its an experiment and we will be debriefing on Friday so that we can all learn from the experience.  But I can't tell you any more or else I'd spoil all your fun ;-)

Bottom line:  GET IN THE GAME!  GET SOCIAL!  Put a little effort into your experience.  Step outside your comfort zone.  DevLearn09 is the eLearning industry sandbox for new stuff.  Your boss won't let you try these things in the office, but you can try out EVERYTHING at DevLearn...or at the very least learn from others who have tried.

Preparing for DevLearn09 - Part 1

DevLearn09 (aka DL|09) is a little over 4 wks away.  Time is just flying by and the event will do the same if you are not prepared.  I've been to many events over the years, and one thing I've found is that the best experiences are well planned...with flexibility.  We've worked hard all year to program a crazy busy event with amazing speakers and awesome F2F networking and learning opportunities.  However, we can only do so much and then its up to you.  You must take control of your event experience.  That's what I hope my blog posts can help you do in the coming weeks. And YES!  There is a LOT you can be doing right now, seriously!

Step 1: Get registered
If you are NOT registered then that is the obvious first step. REGISTER NOW!
Actually. WAIT! Its not as easy as it looks.  Why? Well, you've got some important decisions to make beside whether or not you are going to DevLearn09.You must also decide if you will be attending the Adobe Learning Summit and/or an optional Pre-conference Certificate Program.  So let's figure that out right now.
Download the brochure

The Adobe Learning Summit is an amazing opportunity to expand your skills with the Adobe suite of creative products.  Any eLearning developer using Adobe products understands the importance of this event.  Sure MAX is great but wouldn't you rather get the same information tailored to your eLearning development needs? Yea, me too.  But even if you are a manager (and don't necessarity use the tools yourself) it makes sense to understand eLearning development technologies so that you understand the need when signing that purchase order.  Its also important to understand what CAN be done with these tools as you plan your eLearning Strategy for the future.  There is NOTHING more frustrating to your direct reports than dealing with your lack of technical understanding.  C'mon, step up your game and educate yourself.

Oh yea, and did I mention that Clay Shirky is the keynote.  Yea, that's right!  Author of Here Comes Everybody.  If you still haven't figured out social media and why its important then you NEED to read the book, watch the keynote, and meet the author. 
And I'd get called out by my colleagues if I failed to mention the GREAT cocktail reception held at Adobe Headquarters at the end of the day.  Seriously, this is one day that will set the stage for the rest of your week in San Jose.


After you've made your decision about Monday, its time to move your attention to Tuesday.  Tuesday is filled with focused learning opportunities in the form of Pre-conference certificate programs. Follow the link and find the content area you are interested in and add it to your week of learning.  There is a certificate program for everyone.  Review them all and pick the one that best fits your needs.  The concentrated, focused, day-long programs will get you where you need to be faster than any other learning opportunity.

Designing Scenario-based e-Learning
Ruth Clark, Clark Training & Consulting       
Strategies for Enterprise Learning in Virtual Worlds
Koreen Olbrish, Tandem Learning & David Anderson, Bank of America 
Using Articulate to Quickly Design and Develop Exceptional e-Learning Courses
Ron Price, Yukon Learning       
Best Practices for Making Video for e-Learning
Steve Haskin, S > Media
Making Social Media Work with e-Learning
Mark Oehlert, Defense Acquisition University       
Building Extensible Frameworks with Flash CS4
Dan Carr, Dan Carr Design
Creating Outstanding e-Learning with Adobe Captivate
Joe Ganci, Dazzle Technologies Corp.       
E-Learning Project Management
Anita Rosen, ReadyGo Inc.
Producing Successful Synchronous Online Sessions
Karen Hyder, The eLearning Guild       
Iterative e-Learning Design that Works!
Ethan Edwards, Allen Interactions
How to Succeed as a Do-it-Yourself e-Learning Developer
Ray Jimenez, Vignettes for Training
Be the Future of Organizational Learning: Become a Chief Meta-Learning Officer
Clark Quinn, Quinnovation and Jay Cross, Internet Time/Emergent Learning Forum    

Got all that? Okay, so NOW you can register.  REGISTER NOW!   It is a full week of intense learning, and fun that you will never forget.  Get the most bang for your buck, and make it a week of eLearning!