Interaction News April 2008So far it has been a glorious 2008
Fantastic weather, dwindling wine supply and Wellington Sevens fever has hit town. Hi, I am Samantha McBride and I am the Regional Coordinator for Interaction Australasia.
A little about me
I was moved to New Zealand as a teenager and haven’t looked back – and why would I? At the time, I had moved to a country of 3 million people who won the rugby, cricket, swimming, yachting, equestrian and any other water related sport you care to mention. How things have changed! As the only NZ representative on the Interaction Committee, I am frequently reminded of that fact.
Trained in information systems and business communications, I have been through the ranks of the IT department, from helpdesk to AS/400 administration and onto networking. Currently working for the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand as their Records Manager, I am implementing Records Management compliance and dealing with all the cultural and change management issues that a project like this brings about.
I have been a member of Interaction since 1999 and was immediately targeted to run events in New Zealand. 2005 saw me elected to the committee and I am still there.
Regional events are a major benefit of Interaction membership
Generally, they are free 2-hour events, run about once every 2 months that tackle current IT issues. Having smaller, more regular, local events allows us to provide more timely information to the members. Smaller, more local groups mean that regular attendees get to know each other, keep up to date on what they are doing, and share experiences and support at the time it is needed.
Many members enjoy these events and look forward to the opportunity to catch up with peers, which is probably helped along by the free food. Non-members are also welcome to these events as it gives them an opportunity to see what Interaction is about.
Check out the Regional Events link at the Interaction web site, for information on events in your area. And while you are there, check out the conference for this year.
Yes in 2008 we are going to Surfers Paradise, for the first time!
The conference will be held at the Marriott Resort, between September 8-10. This is an Educational Conference, bringing together global speakers, who know what is and what will be.
If you are thinking about implementing a change or a new function or operation or piece of software and get told “find someone else who has already done this” or “are there any alternatives”, check out the Interaction local events and conference. The value of sharing experiences and knowledge should not be underestimated. At the very least, you can avoid the pitfalls and mistakes discovered by the forerunners.
This conference will bring MANY firsts for Interaction
Your feedback tells us that the conference needs more sizzle and perhaps a little more glamour. So we are addressing this and the opening session on the Monday morning will include a high profile industry speaker and some of that sizzle and glamour.
We cannot go to the Gold Coast and not do some socialising outside – so we are looking at holding the Monday night social – poolside. Many of you will have received the post-it note pad stating the dates and location for this year’s conference. It’s a month earlier than last year so please take note and put it in your diary NOW! We promise a different Interaction conference in 2008.
It is the members that make Interaction
In a relationship that goes beyond an organisation and its customers, it is the camaraderie and sense of community that the President, Dermot O’Daly, mentioned in the previous articles, that is a key advantage for members. One of our biggest requests is for more sharing of member experiences, knowledge and expertise, through the presentation of their real-life experiences.
In 2008, the committee is working hard to bring more user experiences to the regional events and the conference, and offers support and reward to those who volunteer to speak. Presentations don’t need to be long or complex to be very useful to others and sometimes there is a need to be reminded of the basics.
We are in the business of providing education and training as well as building a community of IBM users
People who can pool their experiences to provide help, support and innovative ideas to each other. Now we are putting a lot of work into ensuring that we deliver effectively on this vision.
We encourage you to visit our web site on a regular basis. There are some new initiatives about to hit the web site, so please take a few minutes to visit it.
Talking about NEW things, look out for a new Interaction look and feel this year. We have been told by our members that Interaction is getting a little long in the tooth and we need root canal therapy – well we are about to get it.
INTERACTION is alive and kicking and members and nonmembers are about to find this out. Look out for communication from the Interaction team and we look forward to seeing you at a regional event or your participation online!
There is A LOT happening at Interaction this year!
Sam McBride
Regional Coordinator, Interaction Australasia
