So, our big yearly events are almost upon us: the Agile DC Summit and the Agile DC Conference are next week, on Monday October 20, and Tuesday, October 21 respectively.
As we head into next week, our @LitheSpeed team is preparing for a couple of days of fantastic talks (by executives from The Motley Fool, FireEye, AoL, Marriott International and the Millenium Challenge Corporation), lively panel discussions (Scaled Agile Framework and Lean Startup) and active networking opportunities; all at a great venue, the Center for Innovative Technology.
With the team moving in full flow, I thought I would disengage from the hustle and bustle of conference prep, and indulge in a bit of reflection.
The Agile DC Conference is my colleague Bob Payne‘s brainchild from over half a decade ago, and began with Bob and a small team of volunteers driving the event forward as a grand experiment under the umbrella of the non-profit Agile Philanthropy. Agile DC quickly filled an unmet need, and has become the Agile event of the year in the Washington DC metro area. These days Bob is supported by an all-volunteer organizing team, and the Agile DC conference sells out its 500 person capacity. Gallaudet University’s Kellogg Center provides the backdrop for this major event that now draws presenters and attendees from all over the country, and even internationally.
A couple of years ago, I noticed that while the Agile DC Conference does an awesome job of pulling together the agile community and others interested in agile methods, senior managers and executives weren’t that well represented or served by the event. We went through some discovery, and decided to pilot a new event, the Agile DC Summit last year. It turned out to be a resounding success, with executives from Mark Schwartz (CIO U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services) to Tracie Winbigler (COO of National Geographic Society) sharing their experience rolling out agile to transform their organizations.
This year, we’re right on track: the Agile DC Summit is scheduled for next Monday, and the Agile DC Conference will roll next Tuesday. Hope to see you at one or both of the events next week!
