One thing Microsoft has always excelled at is creating communities of engagement. Whether it’s with customers or developers Microsoft’s ecosystem has always been one of its greatest strengths and to some degree, one of the biggest reasons organizations look at Microsoft’s products.
The Dynamics community is no exception and, indeed, may be the best example of Microsoft’s ability to foster a diverse community of developers and users. If you have been thinking of attending a conference, however, which of the Microsoft Conferences would be the best fit? Let’s take a look at the available options and get a brief overview.
Microsoft Convergence
As the folks at Encore Business Solutions describe, Microsoft Convergence is like the night club of conferences. “It’s big, flashy, and action-packed with big name keynote speakers, including Senior VPs from Microsoft. The conference features information about new products and trends from Microsoft Dynamics. You’ll get tips and tricks, as well as knowledge that you can start using right away. You’ll leave inspired and excited about what’s next for Dynamics.”
One look at the keynote speakers that were at Convergence 2015 in Atlanta and it’s easy to see why Convergence draws such comparisons:
- Satya Nadella – Microsoft CEO
- Allison Watson – Corporate Vice President, US Marketing & Operations
- Chris Capossela – Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
- David Finn – Associate General Counsel and Executive Director, Microsoft Cybercrime Center
- James Phillips – Corporate Vice President
- Judson Althoff – President, Microsoft North America
- Julia White – General Manager, Office Division Product Management
- Kirill Tatarinov – Executive Vice President, Microsoft Business Solutions Group
- Seth Godin – World’s Foremost Marketing Provocateur
- Tony Prophet – Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Windows and Search Marketing
- Wayne Morris – Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Business Solutions Marketing
Because of the wealth of information provided, Microsoft emphasizes that “anyone interested in how Microsoft business solutions can help take their business to the next level should attend Convergence! Whether you’re the leader charged with making key, strategic decisions around the management of your business, or the technical manager responsible for technology implementation, or the individual user looking for ways to utilize your solution more productively, Convergence is designed for you.”
While Convergence 2015 has already happened in the U.S., European partners and users still have the conference to look forward to in Barcelona, November 30 – December 3.
In the U.S., Convergence 2016 will be in New Orleans, April 4-7, 2016.
Dynamics User Group Summit
Another major conference is the Dynamics User Group Summit, held October 12-16 in Reno-Tahoe, NV.
In contrast to Convergence, Summit is a more relaxed, subdued atmosphere. The organizers of the conference describe it as “the only Microsoft Dynamics user conferences designed and led by users, for users – and every attendee is focused on Dynamics solutions, so you can learn how they’ve overcome the same challenges you face every day. The conferences feature interactive learning at its best – you’ll engage in lively group discussions and give-and-take, and return home with practical ideas you can implement right away.”
In other words, where Convergence focuses on the big picture of the future of the Dynamics community and products, Summit is focused on the everyday aspects of using those products. Users will be able to discuss problems and solutions with other Dynamics users and discover better ways of using the applications. Because Summit focuses on AX, CRM, GP and NAV, the majority of Dynamics uses are sure to find helpful information at the conference.
Dynamics Technical Conference
The third major Dynamics event is the Dynamics Technical Conference. As its name implies, the conference has a greater technical focus and is aimed at:
- Solution Architects (functional and technical)
- Implementation Consultants (functional and technical)
- Application Developers
- Support Personnel
To help users get the most out of the conference, they have the opportunity to “interact directly with the people that build Microsoft Dynamics AX and Microsoft Dynamics CRM, along with their colleagues from Microsoft Dynamics Marketing, Microsoft Social Listening, Office, Parature, SharePoint, Visual Studio and more.”
While this year’s Technical Conference has already happened, 2016 promises to be another informative event.
With just a brief look at the available conferences for Dynamics users, it’s easy to see why Microsoft is so successful at building productive user communities. Whether you are interested in the big picture, the nitty-gritty day-to-day operations or the technical aspects of building on the Dynamics Platform, there’s a conference designed for you!
About the Author: Curt Finch is the CEO of Journyx, a Certified Microsoft Partner. Journyx maximizes the value of Microsoft Dynamics by adding enterprise time tracking. Journyx Accountlink for Microsoft Dynamics allows companies to quickly implement a complete time tracking solution using existing business data in Dynamics. Connect with Curt on Google+.
About Journyx
A Certified Microsoft Partner, Journyx enterprise time and expense tracking software is an add-on that integrates with Microsoft Dynamics GP as well as Project Accounting. Learn more at http://journyx.com/dynamics.
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