itSMF UK 2009 Conference
Optimising IT services for business success
Last year’s itSMF Conference was rated ‘the best yet’ by its members, with approximately 1,200 attendees from over 45 nations. This year’s event, at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole on 9th-10th November, promises to be even better. We take a closer look.
As every organisation in the UK and in most countries worldwide faces economic downturn, IT service management (ITSM) and the tangible benefits it can bring move into focus. At the heart of ITSM are the principles and expertise needed to provide cost-effective services that deliver recession-beating business benefits.
That is the background for ‘Optimising IT Services for Business Success’, itSMF UK’s 18th conference in Birmingham in November. Fifty seven seminar sessions presented over two intensive days cover all aspects of service management, arranged into five specially focused streams:
- Lessons learned;
- Tips and techniques;
- Working together;
- The human factor;
- Facing the future;
Plus two further streams devoted to interactive presentations and experimental learning (simulation) sessions.
Conference highlights
Highlights of this year’s Conference include:
Service catalogue: The undoubted ‘hot topic’ of 2009, there are no fewer than seven sessions on the service catalogue from speakers such as industry thought-leader Rob Stroud from CA and ITIL v3 author Colin Rudd; Karen Brusch and Dave White, members of our Service Level Management Special Interest Group and co-authors of the SLM Practitioner’s Guide; and Keith Spiers, who offers a practical case study from Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC).
Working with the business and reducing cost: Cost reduction is on every agenda at the moment. We offer some excellent ways to manage down your costs, including ‘CCRM during a credit crunch’ from CCRM SIG chair Vawns Guest; ‘Delivering business-driven demand planning’ by Danny Quilton from Capacitas; ‘A simple, low-cost but innovative approach to end-to-end service reporting’ from Ian McDonald from Cooperative Financial Services; and ‘Benchmarking IT’ from Gartner Group analyst Ian Reeves.
The human factor: Focusing on personal development, this stream offers such thought-provoking presentations as ‘How to identify and retain talent’ (Luciana Abreu, BCS) and ‘Winning hearts and minds’ (Jane Suter, Hampshire County Council).
Real-life experience: A host of practical case-studies and ‘war stories’ from speakers such as Connor O’Brien from Eversheds, Adam Poppleton from Hants County Council and Rachel Dunscombe from NHS North West.
Outside of the main programme
Outside the main educational sessions there are numerous other activities and events to participate in, including:
- Simulation (experiential learning) sessions – a memorable and stimulating ‘game environment’ for learning about the practical side of IT service management;
- Our highly renowned ITSM exhibition – offering around 80 stands with exhibitors from the worlds of service management training, software and consultancy;
- The prestigious awards dinner – a showcase of talent from our industry, attended by around 700 people;
- Keynote speakers such as popular futurologist Ian Pearson, legendary England rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward and veteran commentator John Inverdale.
The IT Service Management Industry Awards
The IT Service Management Awards are recognised as the premier industry awards for outstanding achievement in our field. The awards give individuals and organisations the opportunity to showcase their IT service management achievements. The awards dinner during which the finalist and winner for each category will be announced takes place on Monday 9th November. The Categories are:
The Paul Rappaport Award for Outstanding Contribution to Service Management;
The Service Innovation Award (sponsored by Marvel);
The IT Service Management Champion Award (sponsored by EXIN International);
The IT Service Management Project Award (sponsored by Marvel);
The Submission of the Year Award (sponsored by EXIN International);
The Student of the Year: itSMF ISO/IEC 20000 Award (sponsored by Marvel);
The Student of the Year Award: ITIL (sponsored by Best Management Practice);
The Trainer of the Year Award.
