Here's the number one thing I've learned by attending the Agile 2009 Conference: The agile community is an excited and engaged one.
I'm a first-time conference attendee and fairly new to the subject of agile, so while I can't say for sure this engagement is not an anomaly, my guess would be no.
Whether it was Alistair Cockburn's keynote address or Programming With the Stars or just casual conversations, everyone I've come in contact with seems to be having a good time and to be passionate about the topic.
I've had the opportunity to attend several sessions, including two experience reports (also known as case studies): Jesse Fewell's session, "Marriott's Agile Turnaround," and Philip Abernathy's session "Hook, Line and Sinker--The Role of Line Management in Relation to Agile Teams."
Even to a novice, both were great. Both speakers were animated. Both were ready for whatever questions were thrown their way--and there were several of them.
Audience members weren't shy about interrupting (politely for the most part) with questions and follow-up. They weren't afraid to engage their fellow attendees in discussion. They weren't sitting in the back of the room playing on their iPhones.
When the conference ends, I will still be an agile novice, but I will have a better understanding of the roles within the agile community and the important role it is playing in organizations around the world.
I'm a first-time conference attendee and fairly new to the subject of agile, so while I can't say for sure this engagement is not an anomaly, my guess would be no.
Whether it was Alistair Cockburn's keynote address or Programming With the Stars or just casual conversations, everyone I've come in contact with seems to be having a good time and to be passionate about the topic.
I've had the opportunity to attend several sessions, including two experience reports (also known as case studies): Jesse Fewell's session, "Marriott's Agile Turnaround," and Philip Abernathy's session "Hook, Line and Sinker--The Role of Line Management in Relation to Agile Teams."
Even to a novice, both were great. Both speakers were animated. Both were ready for whatever questions were thrown their way--and there were several of them.
Audience members weren't shy about interrupting (politely for the most part) with questions and follow-up. They weren't afraid to engage their fellow attendees in discussion. They weren't sitting in the back of the room playing on their iPhones.
When the conference ends, I will still be an agile novice, but I will have a better understanding of the roles within the agile community and the important role it is playing in organizations around the world.
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