After four action-packed days in Dublin, EuroSTAR 2014 has drawn to a close. It was my first EuroSTAR experience, but it certainly won’t be my last!
I’ve written a lot of articles on TEST Huddle during the conference. Below, you can find quick links to my summaries from each day:
I also published articles which focused on a few of my favourite sessions from the conference:
- Fiona Charles – “Inspiring Testers – Leadership Workshop”
- Michael Bolton – “What’s The Problem? Delivering Solid Problem Reports”
- Alexandru Rotaru – “Changing Mindsets – Learn, Test, Lead [By Example]”
Having had some time to reflect on the conference, here are the three things which I think rocked the most! In no particular order:
#1: The People. All of them! Everybody played their part in making this an extremely engaging conference. Attendees, speakers, exhibitors and let’s not forget the EuroSTAR staff. Wherever I went, I found people striking up conversations, not only with old friends, but also making new connections with their industry colleagues. Being a member of the media team was a perfect ice-breaker for me; I really recommend it as a way of quickly meeting new people! There was a great community spirit throughout, and there was never a dull moment, particularly in the Expo Hall where the Community Hub and Test Lab were a constant buzz of activity.
#2: The Theme. The “Diversity, Innovation, Leadership” theme underpinned all of the sessions at the conference, and as the days passed it became increasingly evident that Paul Gerrard and the programme team had assembled a schedule which was designed to reflect this mantra. Speakers in later days were often calling-back to snippets from earlier sessions in the conference; I spotted many references to the sessions from Gro Rognstad & Trude Britt Rosendal, Anna Hoff and Nathalie van Delft. Of course, the keynotes were also oft-quoted, and Zeger van Hese’s closing “Everything is Connected” auditorium presentation did a marvellous job of drawing together all of the elements of the conference theme.
#3: The Venue. As a delegate, I couldn’t ask for more from the Convention Centre. And if I had asked more, I bet they would have delivered – the logistical, technical and catering staff were faultless throughout. Guides were on-hand throughout to point attendees in the correct direction, and I came to rely on their intimate knowledge of the programme. As a member of the media team, the CCD made my job very easy – there were convenient tables for sitting (or standing) in the Expo Hall, foyers and corridors, and the auditorium (with its large fold-out desks and built-in charging points) couldn’t have been better equipped. A huge thank-you to everybody involved with the day-to-day operations at the Convention Centre.
What about you – what were your stand-out EuroSTAR moments? Why not add your thoughts in the TEST Huddle forum: Your EuroSTAR Experience
As for me, I’ve already firmly marked EuroSTAR 2015 onto my calendar (2-5 November in Maastricht). Its theme, “Walking the Testing Talk”, perfectly reflects my current career position – I’ve been fortunate enough to benefit from the wisdom of some of the industry’s brightest figures (many of whom were at EuroSTAR 2014) and I’m looking to take ownership of real change within my teams and projects. I’ll certainly be submitting a proposal; you can find out more for yourself on the EuroSTAR 2015 Call for Papers page.
I hope to see you in Maastricht next year!
