Agile Development Practices

Conference Blog

Heather Buckman		As Vice President of Conferences for Software Quality Engineering, Heather Buckman brings with her ten years of social work experience, five years of industry knowledge, and plenty of experience attending a variety of conferences ranging from the most simple of productions to more elaborate ones. She uses her unique blend of business and people skills to help maintain a constant focus on producing top-notch conference experiences with a rich educational and networking environment for Software Quality Engineering’s delegates. As industry demands change with the times, it is Heather’s goal to exceed the expectations of those who currently attend Software Quality Engineering’s conferences, while paving the way for tomorrow’s conference patrons.

Blog Posting: 08.03.08

We’ve been living and breathing the Agile Development Practices program for months now—confirming speakers, honing and editing descriptions, setting the schedule, and finally, delivering you all the details on the Web site, now available to you. I invite you to take a look at all the offerings, from in-depth pre-conference tutorials, to classes covering all the latest in agile methodologies and practices, to special events, and more. We’re proud of the program we’ve put together and can’t wait for you to experience it in person. Last year we launched the first Agile Development Practices conference, with 100% of delegates who attended recommending it to their colleagues. That figure is not rounded up, or made up! Every single delegate who attended last year came away thinking that the event was not just worth their time, but worth their colleagues’ time, too. What makes the conference special and worthy of a 100% approval rating? To me, I think it’s the combination of a top-notch program and a sincere commitment to providing you, the conference attendee, with the best possible experience. From the time you register with us to the time you show up in Orlando, to the time you head back to your company, we feel like it’s our personal responsibility to create a week jam-packed with learning, networking, and fun. What are we doing special to create that experience for you this year? I’ll cover different items in future blog entries, but here are a few things I’m most excited about… Brand new to the conference this year, we are offering the Agile Leadership Summit, co-hosted by the Agile Project Leadership Network (APLN) on Friday November 14th. This day-long program features top executives sharing their challenges and experiences implementing agile practices. Starting with a networking reception the night before, and moving into a full program of speakers, panel discussions, Think Tanks, and more—this is an event you’ll want to attend if you are a leader being tasked to implement agile practices, or take them to the next level. Over the past couple of months, I’ve been working closely with the summit chair, Pollyanna Pixton, to firm up the program, and it’s shaped up to be an incredibly strong program. Check out the full details here: http://www.sqe.com/agiledevpractices/AgileLeadershipSummit.aspx I’m also excited about Open Space, which will be held during EXPO hours on Wednesday and Thursday. Open Space is our commitment to giving you, the delegates, and the opportunity to set the agenda. You’ll have the opportunity to post topics that you’d like to discuss, and sign up for others’ that are of interest to you. We’ll also have a wiki set up ahead of time so that you can see what’s happening as you’re scheduling your time for the week. Though we have a fantastic program, we know we can’t cover everything, and that often, learning begets more learning. What emerges in real-time needs to be addressed, and Open Space is the place to do that. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the event. It’ll be here before we know it! Consider this your invite to attend the Agile Development Practices 2008. We’d love to see you there! Heather Buckman Vice President of Conferences