A couple of weeks ago, I was able to attend Commsverse, one of the premiere community-organized events delivering practical knowledge on hybrid working practices and technology using Microsoft Teams. Located at the Mercedes-Benz World in the UK, Commsverse was an exceptional example of how community comes together to learn from each other, share experiences, see partner solutions, and understand scenarios with the shared goals of being successful with Microsoft Teams. As the event website says, Commsverse is No Sales, Just Tech.
@Mark Vale - Organizer, Commsverse thanking event sponsors who largely funded the event. I realize not everyone has had the experience of going to a community led event and might be wondering what these things are all about. Is it like a convention? No, my friends. Community Events are not just a place to learn. They're much more. So much more. The things I enjoy most about attending community events are the people and the passion of the attendees, exhibitors, and speakers. Between sessions, attendees had a lot of time to get to know each other and perusing the 40 exhibitors in attendance. There's so much buzzing around with so many people to talk with and different opportunities to connect.
The two day event kicked off with a keynote titled 'The Thousand Year Decade' with UK television star, Jason Bradbury whose powerful message made attendees think about how fast technology is moving and just how important our role as technologists is to use tech for good. The event included five rooms delivering content focused on Microsoft Teams all day, both days. Thankfully, sessions are recorded so attendees can view sessions they missed once they're back home.
I was thrilled that over 50 attendees chose to spend their lunch time with the Microsoft Product Group sharing feedback around the Teams Meetings experience and the Teams Calling experience. I'm happy to share that the feedback collected and the discussion in that room has already been shared with the Product Managers working on those features. We want to continue to hear from you. Please visit the Microsoft Teams Feedback Portal to vote on current feedback items, see the status of requests, and share new feature requests.
In addition to the great content over the two days, there were many casual opportunities to connect. Between participating in the Mercedes-Benz Driving Experience, light sabre dueling with a jedi during happy hour, or sharing a drink and appetizers with one of the many subject matter experts in attendance, it was easy to have fun and learn at the same time.
For those of you who may be unsure about coming on your own, I assure you this community is easy to hop right into. Speakers make themselves available after their sessions and during breaks and exhibitors are friendly and eager to share their latest solutions and devices…and maybe send you off with a little treat like the Stroopwafels I unpacked from Anywhere365 or a shiny new device some of the device exhibitors had drawings for.
Women in Teams Community members enjoying tea while in the UK for Commsverse
Some of the Women in Teams Community and allies enjoyed tea with one another; which is a must when you're visiting the UK. Check out the vibe with a quick Day #1 video from @Tom Arbuthnot and a great video recap created by @AlexanderEggers!
Teams branded bacon breakfast sandwiches at CommsverseAs for the event coordination, not a detail was spared. Check-in was flawless and the staff was welcoming. Bright pink shirts made it easy to find someone who knew the answer to your questions - and, chances are, questions were already answered using the Commsverse app. Even meals were a fun experience. In the morning, we enjoyed bacon sandwiches with Teams logos imprinted on them and there were always Mercedes cookies to be found. During the Teams 5th Anniversary panel that I was lucky to be a part of, we enjoyed purple drinks and festive cupcakes. Thank you to the many sponsors, every single session had a fun give-away for one of the session attendees.
With the goal to offset carbon emissions created by the event, Commsverse donated over 2,500 trees, used low-energy, recycled materials, provided transportation for groups with low-emission buses, and offered recorded sessions for those who wanted to stay closer to home. One of my favorite parts of being a speaker at Commsverse was the camaraderie between speakers and organizers. Sharing bus rides each morning and evening together, enjoying dinner together one night, and being part of the Commsverse Teams team prior to, during, and after the event were all fun ways to get to know one another better and strengthen the community.
Microsoft Teams 5th Anniversary Celebration PanelI absolutely enjoyed my short visit to the UK and came home energized and excited about the impact our technology has on our world, the exciting solutions our partners are building, the apps our own community has built, and the different ways all of you are using Microsoft Teams. I can't think of a better way to spend a couple days learning and having fun. If you'd like more information about Commsverse, you can visit them on the web or via email: events@commsverse.com.
What's up next? There are several Community-Led events happening in person, virtually, and hybrid all around the world. Whether you're up for a trip, want to check out what's close to home, or feel more comfortable staying at home, I hope you'll block out a bit of time to be a part of one.
Next up for me - I'll be at CommsvNext in Denver, Colorado August 16th and 17th and hope to see many of you there. I'll be there with many of the Women in Teams Community participating in a Roundtable discussion and looking for product feedback.
Other Upcoming Events to check out!
365 EduCon August 8-12, 2022 | Dallas, TX
CommsvNext August 16-17, 2022 | Denver, CO
MetaverseOne September 7, 2022 | Virtual
365 EduCon September 26-30, 2022 | Chicago, IL
European Cloud Summit September 26-28, 2022 | Mainz (Frankfurt), Germany
Teams 10X September 28, 2022 | Virtual
North American Collaboration Summit October 12-14, 2022 | Branson, MO + Virtual
South Coast Summit October 15-16, 2022 | Southampton, UK
European Sharepoint Conference November 28-December 1, 2022 | Copenhagen, Denmark
European Collaboration Summit May 23-24, 2023 | Germany