So the dust cloud behind #devacademy3 has scattered, and what did we get?
DevAcademy3 is based on a proven concept, you can feel that it was made with the same template as the previous events. Based on past experience I knew what to expect, I wasn't surprised, I wasn't disappointment as well, because I knew perfectly well how this event is going to be.
On the other hand, event in that magnitude should have a clean message to it, and if you can, plan a surprise, anything, let people have something to discuss on for the next few days, create a buzz over it, let people expect something new each time you raise such an event.
Also it lacked a clear roadmap of what is ahead and how those sessions are supposed to fit in on a much larger scale. We got mostly unrelated sessions to each other, even on the same track, some even overlapped.
Generally speaking I am not fond of keynotes, but maybe you just need to have at least one space allocated for something surprising and turn the heads of every attendee to the direction of your message.
As in past events, Microsoft continues to strengthen their relationship with Bloggers. From invitations, the famous blogger corner to screens that show off the latest blogs. As a blogger I can just try to think of more ideas that can enhance and harness the power of the blogsphere and such conferences in the future, a glimpse of that could be seen on Guy Burstien session which involved twittpeople (most of them are bloggers as it appear) to create an interaction between them and the session. I hope in future sessions, such interaction could be used as well.
About the feedbacks - There must be a way to give feedbacks online. At least give every attendee a pen. I hope they will have enough feedbacks because most people I've seen didn't bother to evaluate and it is highly important.
About the Food. It was plentiful but such were the lines/queues. Perhaps a few more lines to balance the load? or maybe different time for each track?
SWAGs : Clearly not enough, especially when people on the first time paid money to for this kind of event. I think anything could have been suffice, a CD with the latest bits, a shirt, a book, it was done before why not here as well.
I would be happy to hear your feedbacks as well!
Ariel