Comments on: What do you think about Alfresco’s multi-city event approach? http://ecmarchitect.com/archives/2009/11/11/1087 Jeff Potts on ECM, portals, search, collaboration, and a bunch of personal stuff Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:48:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: KeithW http://ecmarchitect.com/archives/2009/11/11/1087/comment-page-1#comment-47613 KeithW Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:39:33 +0000 http://ecmarchitect.com/?p=1087#comment-47613 The local conference has its place for simple overviews and some how-tos but I think that a national event would be able to allow everyone at the same time to know the vision of the company. We would know about new releases of Alfresco for 2011 etc. We would get to see new products that some vendors may have available for Alfresco. We would also be able to learn about how new partnerships such as with IBM Lotus with benefit the community. Things such as this will not be readily available at a local conference because you are forced to limit the size of the event. Also, I think that a national conference would be more fun. But I would suggest having it in New Orleans. :) The local conference has its place for simple overviews and some how-tos but I think that a national event would be able to allow everyone at the same time to know the vision of the company. We would know about new releases of Alfresco for 2011 etc. We would get to see new products that some vendors may have available for Alfresco. We would also be able to learn about how new partnerships such as with IBM Lotus with benefit the community.
Things such as this will not be readily available at a local conference because you are forced to limit the size of the event. Also, I think that a national conference would be more fun. But I would suggest having it in New Orleans. :)

]]> By: Carry Megens http://ecmarchitect.com/archives/2009/11/11/1087/comment-page-1#comment-44560 Carry Megens Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:54:13 +0000 http://ecmarchitect.com/?p=1087#comment-44560 Hi Jeff, I agree that Alfresco's speakers should ALL bring the same consistent story (maybe they are too busy traveling around to proper align?) - all-tough they may have their own intrinsic drive - their Enterprise vision and story vented should be consistent across sessions, no matter where they are. On the subject of locations: I feel local for local makes more sense in these difficult times... Look also on arguments stated already above. Good post, thank you. Carry Hi Jeff,
I agree that Alfresco’s speakers should ALL bring the same consistent story (maybe they are too busy traveling around to proper align?) – all-tough they may have their own intrinsic drive – their Enterprise vision and story vented should be consistent across sessions, no matter where they are.

On the subject of locations: I feel local for local makes more sense in these difficult times…
Look also on arguments stated already above.

Good post, thank you.
Carry

]]> By: Claudia Saleh http://ecmarchitect.com/archives/2009/11/11/1087/comment-page-1#comment-44391 Claudia Saleh Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:06:25 +0000 http://ecmarchitect.com/?p=1087#comment-44391 I agree with Bill that the local events in Europe makes more sense(language, distances.. etc), and even when I think about Brazil, that is just starting with Alfresco now, a series of small events would also make more sense than a big one. But I have to agree with you Jeff, regarding US, that a central conference with people from all over would be much more enjoyable. A yearly event to look for.. One consideration though, if the focus is more in prospect clients, than developers or current users, I would think that is much more difficult to have those to attend a central conference, if they are still in the "researching" phase. That got me curious now, about the profile of people in the attendance... Anyway, I think they will go with the flow... and whatever makes more sense at a time or a particular market. But was a great post and I think you got them thinking.. :) I agree with Bill that the local events in Europe makes more sense(language, distances.. etc), and even when I think about Brazil, that is just starting with Alfresco now, a series of small events would also make more sense than a big one.

But I have to agree with you Jeff, regarding US, that a central conference with people from all over would be much more enjoyable. A yearly event to look for..

One consideration though, if the focus is more in prospect clients, than developers or current users, I would think that is much more difficult to have those to attend a central conference, if they are still in the “researching” phase.

That got me curious now, about the profile of people in the attendance…

Anyway, I think they will go with the flow… and whatever makes more sense at a time or a particular market. But was a great post and I think you got them thinking.. :)

]]> By: Bill Brooks http://ecmarchitect.com/archives/2009/11/11/1087/comment-page-1#comment-44365 Bill Brooks Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:43:37 +0000 http://ecmarchitect.com/?p=1087#comment-44365 Hi Jeff, Not sure about what works best in USA, but in Europe it is certainly very useful to have local events. We had an event in Madrid a couple of weeks, with approx 200 people in attendance and probably maybe on 10 or 20 would have been prepared to travel to other European city. We also had a local roadshow event in 10 cities last year where over 600 people attended and again only a small percent of these people would have travelled to say London or Paris. Also in Europe we have languages to contend with and by having separate events means that we can have many more presentations in local language. It isn't impossible to have interpreters but is another expenses and organisation to make. Your point about if serious Enterprise customer are interested they would travel I agree with to certain point, for large installations but many customers are using Alfresco as departmental solution with less strategic importance. In any case we try to reach out to broad spectrum of users is the idea as well - students, developpers, people evaluating Alfresco as early stage of project as well as our partners and strategic customers Anyway, just some comments from the events in Europe and I'm sure that the marketing team will find your feedback useful and interested when we plan the next events.. Cheers Bill Hi Jeff,

Not sure about what works best in USA, but in Europe it is certainly very useful to have local events. We had an event in Madrid a couple of weeks, with approx 200 people in attendance and probably maybe on 10 or 20 would have been prepared to travel to other European city. We also had a local roadshow event in 10 cities last year where over 600 people attended and again only a small percent of these people would have travelled to say London or Paris.

Also in Europe we have languages to contend with and by having separate events means that we can have many more presentations in local language. It isn’t impossible to have interpreters but is another expenses and organisation to make.

Your point about if serious Enterprise customer are interested they would travel I agree with to certain point, for large installations but many customers are using Alfresco as departmental solution with less strategic importance. In any case we try to reach out to broad spectrum of users is the idea as well – students, developpers, people evaluating Alfresco as early stage of project as well as our partners and strategic customers

Anyway, just some comments from the events in Europe and I’m sure that the marketing team will find your feedback useful and interested when we plan the next events..

Cheers
Bill

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