Whether this will be your first Atlassian Summit or your 8th, we hope you’re getting as pumped up as we are for Atlassian Summit 2016 – our biggest event yet. From attending awesome sessions to networking with fellow Atlassian users, to Summit Bash, your days will be jam-packed with activities and we want you to make the most of them! We’ve put together a guide that’ll help you prepare, and if you’re a first-timer, give you a glimpse into what you can expect:
Get fired up!
We’ve been gearing up for this year’s Summit since November 6, 2015 (yep, the last day of Summit 2015 was November 5th). While you might not be doing as much planning for Summit as we are, here are some things you can do now to get fired up:
- Download the mobile app. Curate your schedule, explore sessions, find networking events, and more!
- Set a goal. Think about the knowledge, connections, skills, and – let’s be honest – swag you want to bring home. Your team might have suggestions for you, too.
- Avoid those awkward silences. Nail down your “Tell me about yourself” answer and prep some non-work questions or ice breakers for networking when you meet someone new.
- Come up with a system for remembering people. Whether you start a collection of business cards or decide to turn it up a notch and snap a photo with the many awesome people you’re going to meet, make sure you’ll be able to remember them later.
- Perfect your story about an Atlassian product. Someone’s bound to ask: “Why are you at Summit?” and you’ll want to be ready to share your story about what Atlassian products you use, why, and what you’re interested in learning more about.
Gear up
We know you won’t forget socks and a toothbrush, but packing these things might not be so obvious:
- Don’t forget your business cards! Now it’s time to make sure people won’t forget you… not that they actually would, anyway.
- Need some Atlassian gear? There’s no such thing as having too many t-shirts. Check out our on site swag store for shirts and other Atlassian goodies.
- Bring a phone charger for your purse or backpack. Stay powered up all day while you’re photographing slides and collecting Atlassian Summit 2016 memories (Pro tip: recharge your phone at lunch).
- Pack comfy shoes and layers. You’ll want to be comfortable while walking around, and we all know convention centers have a tendency to get a bit chilly, so you might be reaching for that sweater!
- Got Summit shirts from previous years? Bring ’em along for extra street cred.
Level up
Get ready to drink from a firehose of information:
- Get a demo of your favorite Atlassian product. Don’t miss our product demos that’ll be showcased in the two show floor theaters during breaks. You only think you know all of the secrets already.
- Meet someone on one of our product teams. Stop by the Product Hub with questions about what’s coming up on product roadmaps. Happen to have a technical issue? Hit up our Support Bar for that.
- Atlassian University has lots of training to offer! Head to the Atlassian University booth to craft a customized training plan. Interested in becoming Atlassian Certified? Get one-on-one time with the certification team and some of our first Atlassian Certified Professionals to understand how you can get on the path to becoming certified.
- Devise your master plan. We’ve got a great line up of sessions to choose from. Attend the ones you really feel you’ll get the most out of and don’t be shy about leaving a session after a few minutes if you feel it’s not a good fit for you.
- Take notes! Use Confluence for lengthier notes (like those you might take in sessions) and use Hipchat to send quick messages to yourself with little pieces of info (like an interesting fact you might hear in a keynote). And if you like to photograph slides during sessions, leave your phone on and camera ready – sometimes those slides go by quickly.
- Ask questions in your sessions. Chances are if you have a specific question, someone else is wondering the same thing.
Meet up
Network, network, network. You’ll have plenty of opportunities:
- Chat with an Atlassian. We’re a friendly bunch and love talking to our customers. You’ll see many of us around!
- Find out who else is going. Tap into the power of social media to find out who in your network will be at Summit. You might be surprised by how many other Atlassian users are in your circle!
- Connect with our speakers. Our speakers are wildly passionate about what they do and what they’re at Summit to talk about. Grab a few minutes with them and chat!
- Make new friends. Sit with at least one person you don’t know (yet) at lunch. Put those ice breaker questions to good use!
Keep it up
Set yourself up to keep the Summit vibe alive all year long:
- Join the community. Have you heard of Atlassian User Groups? They’re user-led meet-ups all around the world and we love them so much we have a whole lounge for them at Summit! Stop by in between sessions to learn how you can keep hanging out with and learning from other Atlassian users in your city all year long.
- Pay it forward. Pass on those notes you took to teammates who were unable to attend.
- Gather up your team. Hold a few brown bag lunch sessions when you’re back in the office to watch some of the Summit video recordings – all sessions will be recorded and available online later.
What’s up?
There’s lots to do not only at Summit but also in San Jose and the San Francisco Bay Area. Be sure to maximize your time here!
- Get nerdy. The San Jose tech museum and Winchester Mystery House are close by and are interesting places to explore.
- Stay for the weekend. Think about extending your trip and heading north to San Francisco or wine country, or south to Monterey or Big Sur. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, rent a car and cruise along the iconic Pacific Coast Highway.
- Manage your FOMO. Check in on our hashtag, #AtlassianSummit, on social media to see what’s up. You can’t be everywhere at once.
Turn it up
Summit Bash is always epic. DJ Kanban will be mixing it up on the dance floor and you’ll have a blast, but we want to make sure you’ll feel good for the final day of Summit, too:
- Hydrate well before Summit Bash! No explanation needed here ?
- Polish up your dance moves. After a day full of learning, be ready to let loose at Summit Bash and dance the night away.
- Pace yourself. Summit Bash is a marathon – not a sprint. If you want to hit the after-party and the after-after-party, make sure you’ve got enough energy, balance, and good judgment to keep rockin’ it in style.
What have we missed? Atlassian Summit veterans, what are some of your tips for getting the most out of Summit and what are you looking forward to the most this year? Let us know in the comments!