There is A LOT happening at ServiceNow’s Knowledge18 Las Vegas from May 7-10. Just like the many service management solutions ServiceNow provides, the three-day conference is packed full of technology demonstrations, strategic business sessions, and inspirational speakers to guide you on your business transformation journey. With all the opportunities to learn, network (and celebrate!) it’s hard to know where to start.
If looking over the Session Scheduler to build your Personal Agenda is overwhelming, fear not! Acorio wouldn’t be a Gold Services Partner if we didn’t bring our A-Game to Knowledge, and that includes providing guidance on how to have the best conference experience.
Read through our tips and tricks gathered from our Knowledge Attendee Subject Matter Experts!
Craft your Conference Agenda
This year’s Knowledge has over 400 sessions and labs to choose from. With so many choices, where should you start?
ServiceNow has done an excellent job of providing multiple ways to search the session catalog with cross-referencing by type, track, and goals. Let’s say one of your goals this year was to Drive Digital Transformation with Intelligent Apps. Or maybe you want to see what labs are available for a middle-of-the-road developer who wants to sharpen their skills. The Session Scheduler allows you to narrow your scope to personalize your experience.
Acorio’s Knowledge attendees have sound advice in finding the right sessions. Take this one from Acorio Vice President of Platform Solutions Ken Michelson: “Ask yourself What's one thing you would love ServiceNow to do for you that it doesn't today?” Having some vision for your instance will not only provide guidance on what sessions to attend, but to also find people at the conference that are looking to do the same thing, or already have done it and have words of wisdom to share.
What if after you filter through all the sessions, there’s still more sessions than you have time? If you are coming as part of a group, coordinate your agendas so that you are all attending different sessions that are part of your common goal. Then you can meet up and compare what you all are hearing and learning, as well as share materials.
Shaun Brachman, Acorio Senior Consultant, found this to be a benefit in choosing his sessions: “Research the schedule and the presenters. find out what matters to you and what industry the presenters are from. Google them, search out their LinkedIn and ServiceNow Community posts. Look at what company they represent.” Using these tools will also ensure that not only the topic of a session is prudent, but how it applies to your industry.
Finally, Senior Consultant Johnny Walker has this advice: “If I'm in a session and it's not feeling like what I expected it to be, take the handouts and RUN! Head to another session. There are usually seats available and you can still get into most.”
CreatorCon, Hackathon, and SIGS, oh my!
Knowledge18 provides space to meet people from all aspects of the ServiceNow ecosystem, from admins to developers, to consultants and partners. If you’re lucky, you might even run into the NowGuys for a selfie opportunity! Here’s an overview of the organized networking opportunities at Knowledge18:
- SIGS (Special Interest Groups) are multiple sessions during the conference specifically for State & Local Government, Federal, and Higher Education businesses to network. These sessions are not just a chance to compare ServiceNow experience, but to also discuss roadmaps, and share advice and wisdom utilizing service management within your vertical. There are also sessions for role-specific meetups. HR Professionals have a networking hour, and there’s even a ServiceNow Developer community-building discussion planned.
- CreatorCon is the space to get your hands on the tool and hobnob with other developers. The level of expertise ranges from beginner techies to Enterprise Architects, so don’t be afraid to hop in and learn something new while socializing with other ServiceNow users.
- The Hackathon, an event inside CreatorCon, a provides competitive folks up to teams of eight to collaborate and create an application that could win a prize! If you can’t come up with your own idea but still want to innovate, join the Mission to Mars challenge and join other Knowledge Attendees to get your inner Apollo 18 on.
Networking at the Conference
SIGs and Hackathons are far from the only chances to meet and greet fellow attendees. Try and talk with folks everywhere; at tables during meals, your table mates during labs, or even sitting for a break. You never know what a random conversation will become!
The show floor is perfect for these opportunities. Walk into the booths and talk to industry experts. Or you might even walk into a conversation that is pertinent to you. And be sure to bring your business cards! Having them handy to exchange is an efficient way to make sure you remember who you meet, and they have your contact info for catching up after the conference.
Acorio Consultant Steve Socha advises, “Don't be afraid of some of ServiceNow's most active community members! They may be extremely talented developers, but they are also as patient, helpful, and friendly as you would expect from someone with 25,000 community points. Chuck Tomasi doesn't wear an extravagant bow-tie to these events to help blend into a crowd unnoticed!”
ServiceNow Shindigs
What is a trip to Las Vegas without some fun? There is a lineup of activities waiting for you to arrive:
-Go-Live (Monday) and Welcome (Tuesday) Receptions: These evening events are perfect for having a cocktail, mingling, and chatting with fellow attendees without having to rush to another session.
-Partner-Sponsored Soirees – (Including Acorio’s Legendary Penthouse Party on Wednesday Night!): Be sure to keep your ear to the ground and listen for auxiliary events that ServiceNow sponsors host during the convention. However, be aware that these are usually invite-only, so be sure to grab an invite!
(For example, if you’d like to have one elite invite in your pocket before you arrive in Vegas, you can reach out to Acorio for the chance to attend our Penthouse Party with a “View from the Top” of the Knowledge universe. Meet your peers, industry analysts, Acorio customers, plus over 40 A-Team Members and Executives who will be kicking back on Wednesday night.)
-Choose Your Own Party Plans: Thursday night’s closing ceremony is actually split up into different experiences. This is another fantastic opportunity to gather a group and either groove with Cirque Du Soleil’s “Love,” or improve your handicap at TopGolf. Use these experiences to further the connections you made during the day…and make sure to get your selection in before they fill up!
Self-Care during the Convention
We’ve covered what to do at Knowledge around the content. Here are some final tips from our experts about the most important thing to be aware of at the conference… yourself:
With all the workshops and meetups, it is important to get some downtime. It is okay to take more breaks than the ones built into the daily agendas. Respite is not just for at the convention. Regional Sales Manager Victoria Carroll recommends “Rest the weekend (or few days) before. It’s incredibly exciting, but can be draining – I always need to take the weekend before for myself to mentally prepare for all the talking and running around.”
Knowledge Conference veteran and Acorio Vice President, Mike Hanrahan, not only brings comfortable shoes but also recommends getting gel inserts for them. There’s a lot to see and do in Vegas and at Knowledge, make sure your feet can keep up!
Be aware of snack time! There will be stations set up in the afternoon for water, soda, coffee, and snacks (chips, fruit, granola bars are some examples of past refreshments). If you are unsure where to find them, follow the crowd. Water stations will be available everywhere so have a reusable bottle to fill up and keep with you. If you forgot to pack one, more than likely there will be one offered as swag at a booth.
Finally, since this a technology conference, be mindful of the technology you have with you. Shaun Brachman shared: “Activate your anti-theft measures on your electronics before you get to the show. Screen locks, ‘find my device’ features, encryption, etc. know your company's security practices for taking care of the property and sensitive data.” Also, remember a battery pack for your phone!
If you need any more conventional wisdom, we have additional blogs, a pre-conference Apple AirPod Raffle, and even a webinar to assist you, and the Acorio A-Team will be all over Knowledge18; from assisting in Pre-Conference training, speaking on the main stage, and waiting to meet you in booth #2114. See you soon!
