Tech·Ed Africa - How to find the gems in the sessions?
Tech·Ed is around the corner, and if you’ve seen the session catalogue, you’ll see there are 267 sessions available for you to attend! How are you supposed to know which sessions are quality and worth your time?
Disclaimer: Rights Management Server is a great product for certain situations, and I’m picking on it in this post as an example more than anything else.
Know Yourself
The first thing to get right is to know yourself—if you’ve just started writing C# code, attending an advanced session on the internal workings of LINQ may be a waste of time, as you may struggle to keep up.
Knowing yourself isn’t just about skill level but also about what matters to you. If you have no plans to use Rights Management Server (RMS), don’t attend those sessions—you’ll miss out on other valuable ones. However, don’t limit yourself only to familiar topics.
Identify Trends
One of the benefits of attending Tech·Ed is exposure to new ideas you might not encounter in your daily routine. You might be tempted to attend an RMS session simply because it’s unfamiliar—but my advice is this: when exploring unknown topics, focus on hot trends (not RMS). A great way to spot these is by checking what community and knowledge-sharing sites, like Channel 9, are discussing.
I suggest prioritizing new trends because they’re where cutting-edge technology and learning take place. There’s often little existing content on these topics, unlike well-documented areas like RMS, where training is widely available.
Decoding Sessions
Every session at Tech·Ed has a code, and this code contains key details to help you find the right ones. For example, my session is APS309, but what does that mean?
- APS – This is the track, or high-level concept, the session belongs to. In this case, APS stands for Application Server. Microsoft has a guide to all these TLA (three-letter acronyms) on the technical track page. The only missing one is WTB, which stands for Whiteboard (covered next).
- 3 – This digit indicates the session’s difficulty level, ranging from 1 to 4:
- 1: Introductory session (assumes no prior knowledge).
- 2: Beginner session (some prior exposure expected).
- 3: Technical session (assumes working experience with the topic).
- 4: Advanced session (for experts only).
- 09 – A unique identifier for the session.
Next, read the abstract—this outlines the session’s plan. For example, my session is titled: Intro to Workflow Services and Windows Server AppFabric
But the abstract reveals more:
- Focus on Workflow Foundation (WF) for developers.
- Integration of WF and WCF in .NET 4.
- Hosting details for AppFabric.
The abstract clarifies my approach—starting with WF, moving to WCF, and ending with AppFabric—something the title alone doesn’t convey. Always read abstracts carefully.
Session Types
Tech·Ed offers two session types:
- Breakouts: Formal presentations with demos.
- Whiteboards: Less structured, often interactive discussions where topics evolve based on audience questions.
For learning a new technology, breakout sessions are ideal. If you’re familiar with a topic, whiteboards provide deeper insights for senior developers.
Networking
Tech·Ed brings together thousands of passionate professionals—perfect for networking. Most presenters welcome questions during or after sessions.
For structured networking opportunities:
- Community Lounge: A space to connect with community leaders.
- Ask the Experts: A dedicated event where experts offer one-on-one guidance.
Get Started Now
Don’t wait until arrival to plan sessions. Research trends, speakers, and trends now.
A helpful tip for companies: Host a pre-event gathering (like we do at BBD for our attendees). Returning attendees share insights, while newcomers get recommendations—helping everyone find great sessions.
For Twitter users: Follow @teched_africa and the hashtag #TechEdAfrica. Search both together: @TechEdAfrica OR #TechEdAfrica.
Update 8 Oct 2010: I presented a short session based on this post to the staff at BB&D, available below.