Power of Community Empowered Microsoft 365 Users in Japan

In November 2024, the Japan Microsoft 365 Community Conference 2024, a community-led Microsoft 365 conference, was held in Japan. This event provided an excellent opportunity to learn the latest technical information on Microsoft 365, including topics such as AI including Copilot, Power Platform, and security.

Japan Microsoft 365 Community Conference offered online sessions which gave participants the chance to access fresh information regardless of their location. In-person discussions were held at the Microsoft Japan office in Tokyo where attendees could also enjoy direct interaction with each other. This conference uniquely combined online and in-person experiences, delivering a wealth of information and community engagement to over 900 participants across the three days.

The conference was made possible through the collaboration of numerous Microsoft MVPs and community speakers. Each contributor brought their technical expertise, experience, and community leadership to ensure the success of the three-day event.

In this blog, we’ll highlight an interview with Ai Hirano, an M365 MVP and one of the organizers, to share insights from their experience with this conference.

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How was your overall experience organizing this conference?

Large-scale events focused on Microsoft 365 have not been held in Japan for some time. This event marked the first major community gathering since the Microsoft 365 Virtual Marathon, a global event primarily organized by volunteers in the United States, where we Japanese team joined.

This time, it was a large-scale conference held solely in Japan and in Japanese, marking our first attempt at such an endeavor. Initially, we were unsure how much interest the event would generate, but we ended up with nearly 1,000 registrations for both the online and offline sessions, indicating a high level of interest. Particularly notable was the online participation, with 300-400 people consistently watching in real-time despite it being held during weekday working hours. We used Microsoft Teams for the online sessions, and by opening the chat to participants, we facilitated lively discussions.

I was deeply moved by the enthusiasm of those who participated, even taking time out of their busy schedules, or using their vacation days to join. This level of dedication was truly inspiring.

Tell us the highlights of this conference.

This time, we incorporated a hybrid approach with one day of in-person events in addition to the online sessions. For the in-person day, we organized a panel discussion where experts and participants could engage in Q&A without recording or broadcasting. Participants asked questions about the challenges they face in their work, and multiple experts provided their insights. It was great to see many nodding in agreement and even laughing at times, enjoying the real-time, face-to-face interaction. Particularly memorable were comments like, “It was so much fun!” and “I can’t wait to apply what I’ve learned at work.”

Additionally, the venue served as a space for communication between communities that don’t usually interact directly, fostering new connections. This aspect was also very positive.

Opening greeting from Ai Hirano

What kind of Kudos did you get from the event participants?

Under the slogan “Enjoy learning about Microsoft 365,” our speakers and staff worked together seamlessly. The online event had over 800 registrations and nearly 400 positive survey responses, praising the speakers and staff.

Here are some survey comments:

“The event was packed with the information I needed and was very worthwhile.”

“The time management and handling of questions were excellent, making it easy to participate.”

“I loved the casual atmosphere. Most seminars are quite formal, but this event was fun.”

“It’s amazing that everyone volunteered to create such a fantastic event. Thank you!”

What kind of reactions have you heard from the members of the community who co-hosted this conference?

The community members who co-hosted the event, including the speakers and support staff, all said they had a great time. They took on significant roles, such as creating the event logo, handling logistics, managing breakout sessions, and preparing materials. Their teamwork and dedication ensured the event’s success.

Both participants and community members are eager to do it again next year. While nothing is decided yet, we are considering future events.

How are you planning to contribute to your community in 2025?

What I prioritize is the attitude of professionals related to Microsoft 365 identifying challenges and solutions from their own perspectives and sharing this information constructively. While everyone is continually enhancing their own knowledge, individual expertise has its limits. By communicating across organizational boundaries with people from different positions, roles, and viewpoints, we can discover new insights and learnings. This year, I aim to continue creating opportunities for such mutual self-improvement.

We also realized that there is a significant level of user interest in Microsoft 365 in Japan. In the future, we hope to invite Jeff Teper from Microsoft to a community event here 🙂

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Ai has shared a report on this conference on their blog, along with their gratitude to the participants and collaborators. Please take a moment to read the article below.

SharePoint Technical Notes : Japan Microsoft 365 コミュニティ カンファレンス 2024 へのご参加をありがとうございました&録画公開