Looking forward to Defrag

I’m really not a big fan of conferences. I go to a small number every year and like most people I find that for the most part, the best part of most conferences happens in the hallways and lobby where there’s a chance to connect with other attendees. The conference itself simply becomes the framework to support making those connections.

Defrag, however, is a rare exception to this widely held view in the conference world – it’s a conference worth attending not only for the connections you’ll make in the hallway but also in the insight you’ll gain inside the presentation rooms. Organized as an interactive conversation, Defrag challenges attendees to become a part of the conversation through thought-provoking topics, an agenda that stresses audience involvement and through break-out sessions and other mechanisms that reinforce the participatory nature of the event. The high caliber of the conference attendees and intimate nature of the venue don’t hurt either.

We’ve been involved with Defrag – a conference that we produce along with Eric Norlin – for three years and each year of the conference seems to be better than the last. Our involvement with Defrag (and with Glue in the spring) reinforces for us our desire to be a part of the conversation happening around the themes that we care about – not just sit on the sidelines and listen in.

If you’re up for being challenged in a way that you likely haven’t before at a conference (unless, of course, you’ve already been to Defrag) I’d strongly encourage you to attend. To sweeten the deal, Eric is offering up a discount – valid only through September – for $300 off the conference registration fee. Use the code “septspecial1” when you register.