Seven Clever Presentation Ideas From Tech Field Day

Tech Field Day is an unconventional event to be sure, and the delegates reward companies that go the extra mile. For our recent Boston event, we were pleased with the clever ideas the presenting sponsors came up with. I’m sure you’ll agree that they helped show the uniqueness of our sponsors!

Clever Slides and Inside Jokes

VKernel elicited a groan from the Tech Field Day delegates when presenter Bryan Semple introduced a slide of analyst quotes. But the tables were turned as they were revealed to be clever jabs at the state of that industry. Rather than self-serving quips or wild guesses, his “analysts” bemoaned the power and authority of the independent folks invited to Tech Field Day!

Embotics also delivered the goods, answering organizer Stephen Foskett’s “what took you so long” joke from the night before. Again, this slide showed a solid understanding of the event and the industry and cast a positive light on their presentation as a whole.

Streaming and Sharing

NetApp acquired Akorri earlier this year, and we were pleased to have them join us for this virtualization-focused event. All Tech Field Day presentations are streamed live by our pro video team, but NetApp decided to make the stream available after the fact as well.

Allowing post-event streaming requires great faith in one’s own presentation skills as well as the delegates: It can be difficult to convince folks up the corporate ladder to allow uncensored and unfiltered feedback to be aired in public! Zerto’s presentation will also be streamed once they come out of stealth, and others may join in as well.

Long-Term Commitment

The SolarWinds presentation at Tech Field Day 6 was their third at our events, and the company will return in August. This long-term commitment demonstrates the value of the event, as well as the breadth of their product range. Rather than trying to pack everything into a single 2-hour slot, SolarWinds focuses each presentation on an area they hope will be of interest to the assembled delegates.

SolarWinds is also working with Tech Field Day delegates on other projects, including briefings and reviews. And, with Foskett Services, SolarWinds is working with the delegates to develop custom content for their web site.

An On-Site Barista

Embotics was concerned that their after-lunch time slot might include some drowsiness on the part of the delegates, so they hired a barista! He whipped up delicious espresso drinks in the lobby while they presented inside, and even brought along pizelle and chocolate-covered espresso beans.

This was a great idea, since it recognized the busy three-day schedule the delegates faced, as well as the fact that many came from many timezones away. But be sure to check with the venue first: The Westin Waltham was happy to allow the barista on-site, but not all hotels and offices are as accommodating!

A Surprising Topic

VMware has been involved with Tech Field Day since the beginning, but this marks the first time they have officially presented at the event. Rather than talk about topics the delegates already knew (after all, most were VMware experts) VMware decided to bring in some local flavor.

The Cambridge, MA facility used for the VMware presentation is home to some exciting research and development projects, including the mobile virtualization platform, MVP. Although not a product yet, MVP provoked a thoughtful dialog on the future of virtualization and client computing.

Honest Interaction

Every Field Day presenter is encouraged to interact openly and honestly with the delegates, but it can be difficult for companies to put the right people in the room. Symantec has a long history with our event, having presented at the very first Tech Field Day back in 2009, so they knew who to bring in. The Symantec presenters were product managers, extremely interested in the feedback of the delegates. And a note-taker at the back of the room made sure nothing was overlooked.

A Sneak Peek

Tech Field Day has seen many product launches and was chosen by Druva and Nimble Storage as a venue for public unveiling. But Zerto went to a whole new level, giving the delegates a sneak peek at their still-in-stealth company under embargo. Although we can’t comment until June 22, suffice to say we were impressed by the company as well as their faith in our delegates!

Tech Field Day 6: All Wrapped Up

Tech Field Day is all about creativity and honest interaction, and we were pleased to see everyone really “get it” this time through. Not everything worked, and not all questions could be answered, but the process and the event included just the right balance of chaos and organization. We would like to thank our Field Day delegates and sponsors, and look forward to more clever ideas in the future!