A Developer's Guide to the Government Forum

[laurenmcman]

We are officially one month out from the Government Forum: our annual conference where public sector technologists gather to explore the latest ServiceNow innovations and how they can be used to help modernize government. The event is designed to support a wide range of personas, so if you’re a developer, you might be asking yourself, “How can I get the most out of this event?” Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!

If Hands-On Labs Are Your Aim, Consider Prioritizing Learning Day (March 6th)

First things first: despite how the website may make it look, the Government Forum is effectively a two-part event. Day one includes the keynote, breakout sessions, expo hall, and networking reception - AKA the classic conference experience.

The following day, March 6th, is what’s called as Learning Day. During Learning Day, attendees can choose from twelve full-day, hands-on workshops covering a variety of technical topics. While the Developer Advocates (myself included) won’t be onsite that day, and it doesn’t include the traditional conference elements, if getting hands-on is your primary goal and you only have one day to spare, Learning Day may be the better fit for you.

Click Here to See All the Labs Offered on Learning Day.

Focus on the Sessions Designed for You

If you do plan to attend the Forum itself, don’t wait until the last minute to plan your agenda. These events fill up quickly, and sessions often “sell out” of seats. Using either the Government Forum website or the ServiceNow Events mobile app, take time to review the session catalog and click "Save My Seat" to officially add sessions to your agenda. If something you’re interested in is already full, add it to your favorites anyway; you can always swing by day-of to see if there are any no-shows.

When reviewing the 34 sessions being offered, pay close attention to who each session is designed for. There are only so many hours in the day, and you don’t want to spend them in a session geared toward a completely different persona. Filters on the left-hand side allow you to narrow by product, government segment, topic, and audience. The link below will take you directly to sessions intended for Developers and Architects.

Click Here to See Sessions For a Developer / Architect Audience

Don’t Take the Networking Opportunities for Granted

Putting yourself out there is never easy, but I can’t overstate how valuable networking can be, especially at local events like this. At massive conferences like Knowledge, the sheer scale can make it difficult to connect with people in your immediate sphere of influence. At the Government Forum, that local connection is almost guaranteed.Whether it’s introducing yourself to the people sitting next to you during the keynote or getting valuable face-to-face time with your account team, make networking a priority. And, if nothing else, be sure to stop by and say, "hi," to the Developer Advocates at the Build an AI Agent Activity / Community Program Booth 😉

We hope to see y'all there and that you have a wonderful Government Forum!