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I’ll be honest, I’ve been lazy about going to conferences.
For the better part of the last few years, I’ve found excuse after excuse not to attend. Too busy. Too expensive. Can’t justify the time away from the office. You know the drill.
But here’s the thing: conferences used to be a regular part of my professional life. They were always sources of inspiration and sometimes even new business.
My favourite conference was called IWMW (Institutional Web Managers Workshop), which was focused on higher education and the web professionals working within it. It was the kind of event where you’d leave buzzing with ideas, your notebook full of scribbles and contact details, already planning how you’d implement what you’d learned.
Then COVID happened. IWMW fizzled out, and I’ve attended very little since. The conference circuit never quite recovered its momentum, and neither did I. Virtual events felt like a poor substitute, and somehow the habit of attending in-person conferences just slipped away.
Recently, though, I’d heard rumours about IWMW starting up again. While looking into that, I discovered Scottish Web Folk (SWF). It started life as a conference for web and digital staff at Scottish universities, but over the past three years it has quietly grown to incorporate UK universities as a whole, along with suppliers like Headscape. It seemed like exactly the kind of focused, practical event I used to love.
I knew the organisers at the University of Dundee from years back, so I got in touch and booked my spot. We provided some sponsorship and I secured a speaking slot.
But why am I telling you all of this?
Because I had an unexpectedly great time. Not just “it was fine” or “glad I went,” but genuinely energising in a way I’d almost forgotten was possible. I met up with old clients, some of whom I now consider friends. I didn’t feel out of touch or behind the curve. I learnt some genuinely useful stuff, and I made new contacts. Most importantly, I got inspired again.
Just like the old days attending conferences.
So I’m telling you this in case, like me, you’ve got out of the habit of going to conferences. Or, just as likely these days, it’s much more of a struggle justifying the expense to yourself, your boss, or your organisation. The travel costs, the accommodation, the ticket price, the days away from “productive” work, it all adds up, and it’s easy to convince yourself it’s not worth it.
But it really is worth it.
Let’s get back out there, people!