DevLearn, Here I Come!

Next week is DevLearn 2017, the eLearning Guild's biggest conference of the year, and I couldn't be more excited.

This is my first time attending DevLearn, and only my second time attending a conference. I attended Learning Solutions Conference (LSCon) in March 2016 and had a blast. So many sessions! So much to learn and bring back to my work. Also, I got to meet many people I've only interacted with via Twitter. By all reports, DevLearn should be similar, only more. Also, there's a stronger technology focus, which fits nicely with my role and my interests.

So, what am I looking forward to most? Well, everything. Here's what I mean:



The sessions
There are going to be over 200 sessions. Based on my experience at LSCon, I'm going to have a hard time deciding exactly which ones to attend. I'll be like a kid in a candy store.
I'm going to try to narrow it down this week. Maybe pick one block each day and narrow it down to a session or two in that slot.
Some of the ones that have already caught my eye include:

• The Next Big Thing is Small: 20 Pros and Cons of Microlearning
• Lasting Impact! When Mareting Strategiues Meet Learning Solutions
• BYOL: Ada[t - Getting Started with an Open Source eLearning Tool
• Building eLearning Games in Storyline 360
• Reimagining the New-Hire Experience foe the Modern Learner
• Immersive Learning and the Future of Workplace Learning
• DevLearn Hyperdrive Showcase
• Strategies for Supporting Complex Skill Development
• How to Build a Real Game in Storyline 3
• The Future of Learning: 6 Trends That Will Change Behaviors
• Changing the Face of UI Design for eLearning
• Beyond the Hype: Evidence-Based Digital Games
• Essential Design and Development Tools - and They're Free!
• BYOL: Storyline 360 Time-Savers
• Moving Beyond "Assign/Comply/Track"
• Developing Engaging eLearning on a Budget
• The 4 Ws of Learning Campaigns
• Game Changer: Playing Your Way Through Niche or Dry Content
• Cloud-Based Speech APIs for Spoken-Word Evaluation
• User Interface Design for eLearning
• Getting Your Graphic Design Skills from Okay to Great
• Design Thinking for Problem-Solving
• Making Your Learning Content More Discoverable
• Hacking Storyline

The keynotes
The four keynotes (from LeVar Burton, Amy Webb, Glen Keane, and Jane McGonigal) promise to deliver on the DevLearn promise of "The Future is Here!".
All four have look to cover topics related to technology, the future, or both.

The expo and DemoFest
These can easily get overwhelming. So many people, so many things to see.
Both of these are an opportunity to see what's out there - a great way to get the creative juices flowing.
At the expo, I can see what the vendors are offering. For example, at LSCon, there were several vendors demoing AR/VR (augmented reality or virtual reality) solutions. Also, you can see what outsourced eLearning developers can do when they showcase their marquee solutions. It's always inspiring to see what's possible - particularly when it's done with the same tools my team already uses.
DemoFest is fun because you get to see what your peers have built and are showing off. Based on what little I saw of it at LSCon (I had to leave because I had a killer headache that afternoon) there are some innovative builds and they're all built to answer specific business needs.

The people
One of the high points is going to be the people. I'm definitely looking forward to meeting up with friends, new and old. I know it's a strange thing for an introvert to say, but it's true.
I know some of you from Twitter and Twitter chats (such as #lrnchat and #GuildChat). Others I know by reputation (your books, blogs, podcasts, and interviews). Still others I don't know... yet.
If you're going to be at DevLearn 2017 and want to meet, so do I. I do have two conditions, though. You have to promise not to mug or murder me. My wife says I'm not allowed to get killed in Vegas. If you're not planning to kill me, do get in touch and let's meet.

Speaking
Of course, I'm thrilled for the opportunity to speak at DevLearn. I took a chance back in March and submitted a speaking proposal. Imagine my surprise when it was accepted.
If you use Storyline and want to build courses that respect your learners' time and prior knowledge, you owe it to yourself to check out my session (#715).
You have my personal guarantee that it'll be the best session featuring goats and donkeys at DevLearn this year.

Don't disappoint the baby goat - come to my session