AEA To Grow in 2007
Published 18 years, 1 month pastLet’s cut right to the chase: An Event Apart is growing to become a two-day conference. We’ll have at least four two-day shows in 2007; see the announcement for more details.
The first show, in Boston, is already confirmed. We’ve signed the contracts and everything. Registration isn’t open yet, and won’t be until early January, so you have plenty of time to get the budget approval and be ready to sign up as soon as seats go on sale. Like I said, early January. A more specific date will most likely emerge near the end of December.
You’re going to want to get geared up for this, because the speaker list is flat-out amazing:
- Steve Krug (that’s right, Mr. “Don’t Make Me Think!” himself!)
- Dan Cederholm
- Molly Holzschlag
- Andrew Kirkpatrick
- Cameron Moll
- Ethan Marcotte
- Jason Santa Maria
- Eric Meyer
- Jeffrey Zeldman
Honestly, I can hardly wait to hear everyone on the list. Well, except me. I hear me all the time. But everyone else? Total gold!
Note that this is the speaker list for Boston; the other cities will have different lineups. Obviously not 100% different, but I expect each one will be fairly different. Still awesome, of course.
So what are we going to cover? Best practices. That’s really what it’s all about, whether we’re dissecting code or talking about usability or whatever. Jeffrey and I are going to push every last speaker to pack their talks with insights regarding the current state of the art in their respective fields. We’re going to push ourselves twice as hard to do the same. What we want is to have everyone walk out saying, “Now I know where things are and where they’re going”.
The size of the event will increase along with the days, from our usual 100 seats to 400 or so. AEA is now, as I said, a full-on conference. It’s a big step, but it’s the right one. The most common feedback from this year’s attendees was that one day just wasn’t enough, and looking back, we have to agree. That’s especially true given that the feedback from our only two-day event of 2006 indicated that people really liked the length and the amount of information they got out of it. So it’s time to step up.
Even from this side of the Atlantic, I hear the cries of our European brethren. When will we visit your worthy shores? It’s a fair question. It could happen in 2007, or it might not be until 2008. How’s that for precise? I’m sorry, but I can’t do any better than that right now. Our original plan had been to run a year’s worth of events to shake out the bugs and then look to other lands. Instead, we discovered that the events were too small, temporally speaking, and needed to be dramatically revamped.
So now we need to run a few of the larger events to get the bugs worked out before going afield. The good news is that a lot of the bugs are already smoothed out. We just need to get a handle on the larger format, which has a whole new set of requirements.
So we’ll be at the Boston Marriott Copley Place at the end of March. I hope you’ll be there too! (And if you are going to be there and are a member at Upcoming, add yourself to the listing. Otherwise, feel free to leave a comment here. Thanks!)
Comments (17)
You’re coming HERE? Ooohh….
Wow, that looks like a seriously hot lineup! Alas, this time round i’ll be somewhere in Nepal in March. San Francisco in October would still rock my world though, hopefully see you then.
What a great lineup! I love the move to make AEA a full-on conference. Being a part of a one-day event (Philly) as well as the two-day (NYC), I can say that the two-day event was much more fulfilling (even though both times left me wanting more!). Can’t wait for Boston!
So when are you going to bring this bad boy home to Cleveland?
Brendan: I wish I could say, but it’s on the same level as the European dates—something we hope to do, but can’t commit to right now. I absolutely want to bring an event home, and there may be other ways to bring AEA to Cleveland in the next year or so, but again, I can’t really say for sure right now. Man, it’s frustrating to have to say that! But worse than being vague is making promises I might have to break later on.
Matt: wow, Nepal. Now I’m jealous. You’ll have to tell me all about it in San Francisco!
Dan: thanks, we like it too. It’ll be interesting to see how much further AEA grows. Will two days be the limit? Time will tell!
What happened to AEA SoCal? :pout:
Hopefully you’ll hit themidwest.. Wisconsin… butif not shoot for Chicago…
Rich: see, that’s why I don’t want to promise anything. I very heavily implied that coming to Southern California was all but a done deal to a number of people, but in the end we had to pass because we were unable to find a good venue for the one-day, 100-seat events we’d been doing. Now that we’re moving up in size, it should be a good deal easier to find places that will work. Who knows? Maybe the October 2007 event will move from San Francisco to San Diego. Maybe we’ll schedule SoCal for mid-2008. Anything’s possible. Meantime, if you want to get in on the fun before then, we are at least coming to California next year.
Jeff: as was announced over at aneventapart.com, Chicago’s on the list and is currently slated for August 2007 (but bear in mind that’s no more than tentative).
I was just in Boston for Siggraph this year, outstanding place. I hope I get to make it back for AEA
WHAT? Those SoCal folks would get our AEA? Rich – I’ll get on Orbitz, we’ll find you a cheap flight to San Francisco. ;P
AEA comes to Boston…and I’ll be at a conference on the West Coast that week. I’m bummed…
I never explicitly said that Dan was at fault for the ridiculously high $795-$995 registration charge.
Now you’re a kind, sharing, and good man who has spread much information for the benefit of all, but for future reference, please refrain telling me what to write, and where. In other words, get your head out of your ass, and try to have a nice day.
poor boy: “Feel free to express yourself over here, if you like.” equates to telling you what to write, and where? Interesting. Are you entirely sure that I’m the one in need of a rectocraniotomoy?
no man, I definitely need to as well. Good luck at the Event!
poor boy: Thanks! We’re really looking forward to it.
1st day was great – nice talk!