IT and Enterprise Transformation 101: The Knowledge Effect

[MichaelDortch]

So what did YOU do after Knowledge14?

Many if not most of us on the ServiceNow Knowledge14 team took much-needed breaks. My wife and I went on our first "laptop-free" vacation in more than three years, to Switzerland, France and Ireland.

(While in "the neighborhood," I did have a tour of much-celebrated research facility and ServiceNow client CERN. I also had the pleasure of lunch with Reinoud Martens, our "champion-in-chief" there, and two of his colleagues. But that was strictly a social call — Reinoud even arranged my tour and paid for lunch. Many thanks, Reinoud!)

Despite my concerted efforts to avoid work while vacationing, however, my mind kept going back to Knowledge14. And it occurred to me that while for me such thoughts were framed as looks back, similar thoughts are very likely looks forward for many if not most of you who attended Knowledge14.

Why? Because you can now start putting to work all of the things you learned and connections you made at and during Knowledge14. You've probably already downloaded the presentations from your top sessions and started sharing them with colleagues. Maybe you've even already arranged those first follow-up meals, meetings or calls with those cool people you met.

Call it the Knowledge Effect. You spend a few days with thousands of your colleagues, partners and peers at Knowledge14. You check out familiar and new-to-you ServiceNow partners and their offerings. You get "sneak peeks" at upcoming ServiceNow features and solutions.

You go back to work sometime soon after Knowledge14 (break optional), brimming with ideas you carefully winnow into an achievable short list. Then you begin reaching out, planning, prioritizing — making things happen. By Knowledge15, you've put some of those ideas into action, and you're ready to share what you've learned and to learn more. And it all begins again. It's the polar opposite of a vicious cycle — it's a virtuous circle.

On the flight from Ireland back to the US, I read through the May 17/18 issue of "FT Weekend Magazine." In a column entitled "How can we improve our wellbeing?" psychotherapist Antonia Macaro lists the New Economics Foundation's "Five Ways to Well-being." "They are: connect, be active, take notice (or be aware of yourself and the world), keep learning and give." All of which, I maintain, Knowledge conferences help all who attend to do, in one form or another. Which can make for greater wellbeing, professionally and personally.

Want a quick refresher of some of the high points of Knowledge14? Check out the other Knowledge User Conference blog posts in the ServiceNow Community. The Community is also where you go to download Knowledge14 content, for sessions you attended and maybe some of those you wanted to attend but could not. Then, as soon as you can take a break from putting some of those new ideas and thoughts from Knowledge14 to work, you can begin the registration process for Knowledge15, and start thinking about session ideas of your own…