Things on the website have been pretty quiet over the last week as I was in Bellevue, WA attending the annual Microsoft MVP Summit which is held on the Microsoft Redmond Campus.
Each year Microsoft invites members of its MVP community to attend a week of product group meetings and presentations to learn more about the products being built by Microsoft. Sessions, both official and unofficial, run all day long and into the evening.
Of course the official sessions are presented by various Microsoft product teams and all of the sessions are usually under a Non-Disclosure Agreement, or NDA, as that allows Microsoft folks to talk to us MVP’s about things that may not be out in the public eye. That NDA information might be from the past and about product development or it may be about a roadmap that is being worked on. Now mentioning an NDA is not about bragging that anyone of us has access to more info then the public but it is about the freedom it gives the presenters to share information with us. That in turn allows them to really show their passion about their work and how these products and services come together.
I think many folks looking from the outside of Redmond tend to forget there are passionate people putting in the long hours that it takes to make these products and services. We get the chance at MVP Summit to hear that passion and it is encouraging to me as someone who uses Microsoft technologies.
I mentioned earlier about the unofficial sessions that occur around MVP Summit and those are the ones that happen in the hallways, on the busses, at the hotel and just about anywhere else you go in Bellevue and Redmond during MVP Summit. The breadth of conversation that is had in these places is spectacular. So many people, from so many places around the world that are just savvy in the tech world. In one moment you can find yourself talking to the CIO of a company, a fellow enthusiast, a well known author, a software developer or a Microsoftie.
A lot of folks make this event happen and put in a lot of work before, during and after the week. MVP Summit is the largest community event in the world so imagine over 1,400 tech folks descending on you needing registration, rooms, meals and snacks during the day and transportation between Bellevue and Redmond multiple times per day. Logistically a nightmare but they get it done every time and with a smile on their faces.
One of the other great things about MVP Summit is connecting with people you know online via forums, social media, other interactions or that you met during past Summit’s. It is amazing how quickly things pick up where you left off, either in person or online, and that adds an entire new level to the event.
If your would like to learn more about the MVP Program please check out these official program links:
