The following is the article “Place Networking at the Top of Your 2010 Conference ‘To-Do’ List” co-authored by Nancy Kelln and myself. This article has been published in the QUEST 2010 Magazine and is soon to be published the upcoming June issue of the T.E.S.T Online Magazine.

Software testing conferences are intended to be highly valuable, offering numerous sessions, workshops, keynote presentations, etc on new trends, tools, and techniques. There is also great potential for networking with peers and rubbing elbows with some of the industry’s thought leaders. How many of us are taking advantage of this networking opportunity? For many, the short breaks between sessions, lunch hour meal and evening socialising events are our primary opportunities to check on emails, make important calls, or just take a mental break. The concept of “networking” sounds great but just doesn’t manage to happen.

For some, the thought of socializing can be intimidating especially for those who are not comfortable with meeting new folks and generating conversation. Although it may take you out of your comfort zone, the chance to network should be considered a top priority as the lessons that can be learned are just as valuable as the material covered during the conference sessions.

What are some of the great benefits of networking?

Aside from the chance to expand your ever growing list of connections on LinkedIn, there are some real tangible benefits that could shift or dramatically change your approach to software testing. We have found some of our great takeaways and “ah-ha” moments have come from thought provoking conversations with conference peers and presenters. Many times we have walked away thinking “…hmmm I never thought of it that way….” and find ourselves mulling it over then finding a great opportunity to apply the learning in our own professional day to day life. Conversations outside of actual presentations tend to allow for more extensive questions and comments around “Well how would that work when…?”, “We tried that and then this happened…”, “That worked so well and here is where we are at now…” segue ways.

Conference networking can happen in a variety of ways. We have found there are three main areas conference networking tends to focus around; Session Specific, Presenter Specific and Opportunistic.

Session Specific Networking
Session Specific Networking is conversation inspired by the content of a specific conference track or workshop. Here are some ideas to generate conversation around session specific content:

• Make mental notes of the attendees of your session in order to follow up with them afterwards.
• Make notes around the session content…What fit for you? What didn’t fit for you? Find someone to discuss these with after the session.
• Hang around after the session to see what pockets of conversation generate and take the opportunity to listen in and participate where possible.
• During full or half day workshop sessions get involved in the interactive parts of the session. Use this time, not only contribute your thoughts, but start building relationships with others in the session.

Presenter Specific Networking
Presenter Specific Networking is conversation inspired by the individual delivering the session or workshop, etc. Here are some ideas to generate conversation with presenters:

• Prepare for the conference by reviewing the list of presenters and the topics they are covering to determine who may be of special interest for you to speak with.
• Identify these individuals and seek them out during breaks, lunches, etc. Note some presenters may not be around for the entire conference so it is best to follow up with them as soon as possible especially while your questions are fresh in your mind. Share your interest in discussing the topic further and most presenters are quite willing to sit down at some point during the remainder of the conference to chat with you.
• Identify other attendees who are also interested in the presenter or attendees who may already know the presenter and seek them out for conversation.
• Get the presenter’s email address or contact information. Some presenters will have this on their first or last page of the presentation, some may hand out business cards, or conference materials may also include contact information. Many presenters enjoy discussing their ideas with conference attendees even long after the conference has ended. This is great support for when you have tried some of the ideas and have run into roadblocks or raised further questions that you would like to discuss.

Opportunistic Networking
Opportunistic Networking is as its name implies, simply opportunistic. However, to maximize on this type of networking you need to actively seek out opportunities. Here are some ideas to help you in finding these opportunities:

• At breaks or lunches, free up time from your laptop or blackberry to join in conversations. You may have to start some of these discussions yourself.
• Mill around where the topics or individuals seem to be generating interest for you and even eavesdrop! Don’t be shy. If you see a group of individuals gathering and appearing to discuss topics, join the group and listen. These groups form very informally after sessions and welcome additional listeners or contributors to the group.
• Some conferences offer methods to generate topic specific networking such as table cards with topics labelled such as “Agile Testing” setting the tone for the conversation over lunch. Seek out such opportunities to participate in conversations that interest you. Again, don’t be afraid to start these discussions with your group.
• Head out for some socializing at the end of the day. This is a great way to meet other people in the industry. Although there may not be a lot of conference specific talk at these, it is a great way to add to your LinkedIn Connections list and build a list of people to reach out to in the future.

At this year’s conferences we encourage you to incorporate at least one networking suggestion from above. If you try you may surprise yourself with the results. The industry relationships that can be built at these kinds of events can be invaluable for future discussions or support.

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