Microsoft Ignite 2024 – Beyond the Highlights

This post is part of a series of posts about Microsoft Ignite 2024. In this post I’ll let you in on the networking possibilities and example of additional event activities that made Ignite a blast! This series is all about Microsoft Ignite beyond the technical parts. See my post with highlights from a Power Platform perspective if you’re only here for such content!

Full series
Microsoft Ignite 2024 – The Story
Microsoft Ignite 2024 – The Lab Experience
Microsoft Ignite 2024 – Beyond the Highlights
Microsoft Ignite 2024 – The Chicago Adventure

Also see the Microsoft Ignite 2024 – Highlights post, Power Platform and related.

From an event perspective

All sessions and the product group representatives and experts at The Hub provided a full spectrum of learning and networking possibilities. The venue was well decorated and there were plenty of places to take selfies with the Microsoft logo, Copilot, Ignite signs, community decor and more. Everywhere were event people, wearing Microsoft branded t-shirts, easily found to let you know in which direction you should be headed in case you were lost!

Networking Possibilities

Ranging from booking one-on-on meetings on the event website to hanging out at The Hub, meeting the product groups and other experts, there were lot’s of opportunities to make new connections as well as meeting with familiar faces you had seen before. To get the most out of it:

• Plan for time at booths (or miss connections)
• Prepare expert & product group questions (or opportunity gone)
• Ask experts & product groups questions (or never know)
• Give feedback to product groups (or don’t complain)
• Connect on LinkedIn with people (or connection lost)
• If limited time, take photo of badge (or connection lost)

One thing that really stood out to me was how available the representatives from the product groups were. Such an amazing opportunity for everyone attending in-person to meet with them, ask questions and talk about what’s ahead of us, give our feedback. Below is a mix of pictures from The Hub and beyond. Many legends!

Fun parts at The Hub

Time between sessions is best spent either networking or exploring the extra activites, why not a comination?

• Spend time exploring the event venue (or miss unexpected learning opportunities)
• Bring conference buddies, new and old, to fun parts (or have less fun)
• Explore the event jointly (or rely on yourself to find all good parts)

Next to the BizApps’s booth, there was a Power Platform Escape Room! A time traveler lost in time and space to be found, while relying on Copilot to help us build Power Pages websites and more. At the Microsoft Learn both you could have fun too. Navigating the official documentation using AI, go and take a certification and have photo session with flying confetti.

The event had a community section where community interviews were happening. There was the wall of (MVP) fame. Proud to see my CRMK MVP colleagues of course. I made sure to take pictures for friends who were not there in-person. Especially for my friend Sara Lagerquist.

This was the third post about my Microsoft Ignite 2024 experience, beyond the technical parts. The last one is all about my Chicago experience and you’ll find it here. Thanks for reading!

Original Post https://carinaclaesson.com/2024/12/18/microsoft-ignite-2024-beyond-the-highlights/