Help Out UC Newbies and Share Your UC Tips!

[ChrisCatania]

It's almost that time of year. As we get ready for the User Conference, we want to help first-time attendees prepare, so we're looking for those who have been to UC before to offer tips, advice and share other helpful knowledge to help first-timers make the most out of their experience.

So, let us know... what should first-time attendees do to prepare and have a successful UC? What should they do during and after the event to maximize learning and networking? What strategies work for you? What do you wish you did differently at your first or last UC? 

Your tips will be shared here on GeoNet in the User Conference group, as well as in other pre-UC communications going out over the next couple months. Post your tips below and thanks for sharing and spreading the word! 

See what others have previously shared each year below.

[KellyGerrow]

Hi Mary,

To stop the emails you can go to the top of this post, click actions and then unfollow the post. If you don't want any emails from geonet, not just this post, go to preferences and change the notification preferences to not receive emails.

-Kelly

[AdamCarnow]

1. The food trucks near the Hilton Bayfront are a great option, but be prepared to wait and bring sunscreen, you can get sunburnt while waiting in line.  I will also echo other recommendations on the hidden taco truck.
2. Schedule time for the Expo Hall, at least half a day (http://www.esri.com/about/events/uc/expo).  Work with your Esri Account Team to setup meetings ahead of time with key people if needed, whether it is Esri Tech Support, Ed Services, Professional Services, etc. and/or partners, exhibitors.  If data health checks are available, check them out.
3. Check out related events (http://www.esri.com/about/events/uc/agenda/related-events) like the GIS Manager Open Summit, as well as the pre-conference seminars (http://www.esri.com/about/events/uc/agenda/precon-seminars).
4. Try to get an executive interested in attending the Senior Executive Seminar (invite only) - work with your Esri Account Team - if successful, make sure they stay and attend the Monday Plenary, as well as a visit to the Exhibit Hall on Tuesday for appropriate, pre-arranged meetings with Esri staff, partners, and/or exhibitors.  Then they can return home.
5. Make your experience live beyond that week.  Take great notes and order the proceedings and share them with everyone in your organization.  When you get back to work after the conference, host a brown bag and share your experience and lessons learned from the event with others that could not make it.  Take something new you learned at the UC and apply it to your work.  Keep in touch with someone new you met at the UC.
6. Even if you don't actively participate in social media, monitor it during UC for key info and trends.
7. Be sure to pickup your badge before Monday morning to avoid the crowd.
8. The closing session is full of great Q&A, attend it if you can.
9. Network at Special Interest Group (SIG) and Regional User Group meetings.
10. Participate by presenting and/or participating in the Map Gallery and/or submitting imagery to be used in the plenary and/or submitting an entry in the Story Map contest (http://www.esri.com/landing-pages/story-maps/contest/).
11. Be sure to fill out and submit your pre-UC survey and read the UC Q&A before you arrive at UC.

[deleted-user-G2Ws9r74aRyw]

To beat the rush are there multiple locations or a single location to pick up your badge Sunday afternoon before the official start time on Monday morning?

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

In the past, you could pick it up Sunday(maybe just afternoon) in the same location, SDCC Exinit Hall D it looks like.

With the online agenda not listing anything for the the Saturday/Sunday prior, (which I personally think  is a bad UC web design choice/"update"), it get difficult to plan things like this ahead of time.  The registration is usually open starting Saturday, and in (or maybe only in a different location), for those registered for pre-conference seminars.

With the new design, I'm finding it hard to find any of the useful information from the Esri User Conference 2017: July 10–14, San Diego, CA | Esri GIS Conference  web site.  Too much flash, not enough info.  My opinion.

[curtvprice]

Emily, if you look at your EsriUC confirmation email, there is a list of multiple locations you can pick up your badge, they get setup at many of the hotels around the SDCC.

(deleted screenshot, rastrauch‌ posted a better one)

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

Ahh...good point Curtis.  Just to make it easier, this is from my confirmation (and I assume all are the same)

Edit......lol...Curtis, your edit you beat me to it.  But please also not eh paragraphs above the schedule.

[MeganMcClain]

*Follow #esriUC on Twitter to help meet other ans hold onto tidbits gleaned from the plenary and other discussions. Don't have a Twitter? get one, then create a list of organizations and people you'd like to meet at the UC. Alao, respond to presentation you like via twitter if they give a handle.

*Have business cards - if you're a student, go Vistaprint, its cheapest.

*The bus ride to and from ESRI is a great place for conversations. If not, find events after hours on Twitter and so on to meet new people.

*Introduce yourself. Often. Go for it. Even if they look distracted. GIS people are the nicest, I swear.

Go outside at least once a day - Get your vitamin D!

*Plan downtime if you can't handle large groups of people. The Lounge is good.

[Anonymous User]

Enjoy the rest of San Diego too! The main entertainment is centered on the Gaslamp District which is right by the Convention Center and includes highlights like the San Diego Padres Petco Field, rooftop bars at the Marriott Gaslamp and Hotel Solamar, and a diversity of restaurants for every taste and budget. A nice evening diversion also is to take the trolley down to Old Town for its original architecture and many Mexican restaurants. Esri’s local staff in San Diego compile a great set of resources where you can find everything to do in town via a set of online maps linked from the conference website or available in the Esri Story Maps Gallery (http://story.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Shortlist/index.html?appid=0584dbad6ebf433a96f1111f4cc7e3bd)…it is full of great tips for eating or other distractions!

And if you get offered a cruise around the bay by an Esri partner or other group do take it for a unique and different view of the town.  Bring sunscreen for day time event and a wind breaker/layering if its evening and there is a cool breeze on the water.

[RitaLavoie]

The short list is absolutely perfect! So happy that you shared it. 

[BIA__Office_of_Trust_ServicesD]

How does anyone afford a hotel? The cheapest I could find within walking distance is running over $200 a night and our per diem rate is about $150.