I left Boston and Microsoft Tech Ed 2006 today. As a road warrior and conference veteran I must say the Tech Ed experience in Boston was superb.

The show, as always, was well organized and met the needs of a variety of attendees…developers, architects, analysts, managers, students, purchasers, executives, partners, and even competitors.

Microsoft has really set the standard for hi-tech events. Realize, this event was attended by well over 13,000 people. To scale quality to that size takes some effort. Microsoft always manages to take care of the creature comforts at its events. With Tech Ed being a developer-centric event, the typical staples were on hand. For those not familiar with the care and feeding of developers, that means plenty of caffeine and processed sugar along with wireless internet access, plenty of power, and comfortable seating. Microsoft delivers on that 100%. But what about the rest of us, those that see white food as something to avoid and couldn’t identify a “vente” (I think that’s what they call it) from a tall in a Starbuck’s lineup. Microsoft consistently delivers a stream of fresh water and an assortment of healthy snacks such as fresh fruit and nuts. I stress the fresh part of the previous statement. I commend the Microsoft events team for really understanding their customer’s needs. And, most importantly, they make sure the attendees really have no reason to leave the show, after all, isn’t that the ultimate goal?

As I return home, I do not have that post-conference fatigue associated with navigating an unwieldy venue and constantly searching for hydration and healthy fuel for the body.

Microsoft Tech Ed is one of my favorite annual events. And, even as the conference grows in size, it continues to deliver value and a quality experience.

What’s next?...the importance of understanding your customer, it is far more than words.
t