The IT Skeptic - Comments for "A hat-trick of itSMF conferences - it is all about the local level."

international identity

skeptic — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 20:34:00 +0000

Sorry Bob, I agree with Visitor: we don't want itsmfusa or.any other country defining a national identity. It was nationalism got us into this stupid governance model in the first place. Itsmf International should provide consistency of structure and focus

"Obviously you need a

Visitor — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 20:24:13 +0000

"Obviously you need a national head to support all the locals and to provide some consistency of structure and focus. Otherwise it's anarchy, with every local group defining who and what they are."

I disagree. I still think that itSMF branches should be like PMI ones: Local independent entities.

developing the grass roots

skeptic — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 23:42:01 +0000

Thanks Sharon for your perspective. I think the well-known speakers like yourself or the novelty turns like me are important for all-day or multi-day events that people are asked to pay for. And those events have their place: they are a crucible of new ideas and new connections.

But at least as important are the smaller, more frequent, free get-together of dozens of local people. This is where those new ideas first see the light from real-world practitioners. We have a very successful monthly event in Wellington run by Terry Barwick and a team of dedicated volunteers. Sponsors provide a venue, food and booze. The national itSMF provides a share of membership fees to top up when sponsors fall short. An audience of 20-40 is not so intimidating, so we get first-time speakers with wonderful reports from the coalface, mixed with vendor spiels of varying value, and the occasional eccentric like me.

It is like sport. If you don't have the local club teams you don't developed big league players. THAT is where I think national itSMF attention varies . And don't see International doing anything at all to encourage it or develop resources for local level.

Local level

Visitor — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 16:13:01 +0000

Hi Skep.

First off I'm wondering what Ottawa is up to? First they let you and Chris into our Parliament buildings, then William and Kate just yesterday! I'm sure it will never be the same.

As you know, I've a bit of history with the itSMF at local, national and international levels over many years, and i couldn't agree with you more about the importance of the local spirit and value of events targeted there. At every level of itSMF, the biggest challenge in this is attracting sponsor money. Sadly over the years, I've found that the local sponsor money is scarce, and big vendors want big headcount to make their contributions pay off. But to be fair, I attend many regional and local events around the world and i do see the same few vendors there at every one so some do support local markets.

The other issue is the entertainment value. We've become swept up in the 'hollywood style ITSM conference syndrome'.

As a speaker at many events (and I might even hold a world record for how many countries and local events I've attended), I find that more and more, the audience is looking for the wow factor and being entertained becomes more important than hearing war stories from their peers. Sadly, this is a long ways away from where itSMF began in the early nineties and one that seems to be increasing. It's one thing to be motivated by a keynote speaker who doesn't even know what ITSM is, but large cavernous events devoid of any local flavour and relevance can risk missing the point entirely.

Despite this, I have recently attended a number of smaller, local events and found them to be fantastic and really getting back to sharing experiences and knowledge. I find this encouraging, since I strongly believe the local ecosystem that James refers to is growing and itSMF Boards need to focus some energy on supporting LIGS, SIGS, Regions with money, influence and sponsorships to the events, that aren't all about vegas style wow factor entertainment.

There is a place for that too, but without local momentum, we are at risk of losing the purpose behind the movement and the commercial for-profit event movers and shakers are starting to step in and take this market.

I think Canada has got it right. I may be a bit biased because I am Canadian, but my vantage point is pretty global. As a large geography, they support their local regions and you saw first-hand the results of that in Ottawa in May. Canada was brazen enough to depart from tradition some years ago, and place member interest first by opting for regional events rather than a glitzy national one.

Norway, Denmark, Sweden, NZ, Poland, and numerous others also get it right, and while they benefit from high population density in smaller geography, they still remember their local areas.

If practitioners are shy to get up on stage and share their experience, it might be because they feel like they have to compete with the internationally recognized motivational speakers that permeate the events and many have never heard of ITSM.

itSMF needs to nurture and encourage practitioners to step up by reinforcing that its not entertainment that makes the event good, its the content - FROM MEMBERS.

I still support the itSMF because i believe in its value and the concept of peer power. That's the main reason I will go just about anywhere to speak at a local itSMF event for no fee. I've heard many times from local event organizers that getting even one internationally recognized speaker helps immensely with getting members out to event. I hope for the day, when members crash down gates just to see their colleagues and peers speak. Then we will have all gotten it right...and i can stop collecting so many air miles!

Congrats on the ITSM champion award BTW.

Sharon Taylor

Me too

aroos — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 10:01:26 +0000

I value these discussions quite a lot and felt that it was great meeting you guys in Pink11. It is not easy to find any depth in conversation at the local itSMF.

Aale

Where the work is

skeptic — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:23:00 +0000

Virtual interconnectedness is useful, and does create a community. But it is a parallel community. The local community is one of genuine human contact - you know, chatting, sharing a beer, giving each other a lift home, having coincidental connections. The virtual world is only a pale facsimile of the real community, a shallow and superficial one. If i don't see your smile for real now and then the relationship is not the same.

More importantly the local community is where the work is. Oh sure I derive income from my virtual networks and I'd like to derive more. But the vast majority of us get our work locally, and networking is essential.

So I'm all for itSMF International providing virtual communities, although as James says the community has already done that, in true Cluetrain Manifesto fashion. And I'm all for itSMFI approving (IPESC) or developing IP, though I'd suggest the community has already well and truly done that too, as a simple Amazon search reveals. But the real value it ought to be providing and isn't is what Bob said: resources and communications in support of local chapters.

As for national-level organisations, I'm not sure. There's a lot I don't know yet about how ISACA organises, but I find it interesting that there is an ISACA Auckland and an ISACA Wellington, but not as far as I know an ISACA New Zealand. There's a strong international infrastructure and local chapters. No need for intermediate layers. Then again we Kiwis aren't so into throwing our nationalist weight around as some countries. We just get on and get the job done, as the itSMFI Vice Chair is currently demonstrating.

The Role of Social Media

JamesFinister — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 18:00:59 +0000

OK with my involvement with the ITSM Weekly Podcasts I'm kind of honour bound to make the comment that social media can help to "make global local" by enabling small groups of like minded individuals to get together virtually, and to bring advice and support to the more far flung parts of the world, you know, like New Zealand and the USA.

In all seriousness I find being able to collaborate and discuss ITSM with Charlie, Aale, Cary and co. an immense benefit.

Clare's quite right that itSMFUK could improve its web presence, but that doesn't mean there is a vacuum waiting to be filled in its absence - the gap is already being filled. The challenge for itSMF chapters is to fit into the new eco-system.

James Finister
www.tcs.com
www.itsmwprow.com
http://coreitsm.blogspot.com/

All politics is local

bobgrins — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:54:53 +0000

Being a part of the Minnesota LIG of itSMF USA, I would agree that local is where most of the activity occurs, which tends to make it more relevant to members than national, or international. The strength, size and activity level of the various US LIGs varies widely; MN happens to be a very large and active one. We're always looking for ways to better promote our meetings, bring in better speakers and reach out to more potential members. What we'd like from national is resources that support those goals; and for them to provide ways to connect and communicate between the various LIGs. Leverage some networking of the LIGs to share some best practices on how to manage a LIG successfully.

Obviously you need a national head to support all the locals and to provide some consistency of structure and focus. Otherwise it's anarchy, with every local group defining who and what they are.

Best Regards,
BobGrins

Local is where the value is

Claire Agutter — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:13:41 +0000

Hi Skep

Great post (and congratulations on what sounds like a hectic tour!)

I'm active in 2 local areas of the UK itSMF - the CSI Special Interest Group, and the Northern Regional Group. The national conference is great and a good chance to catch up, but the more local and specialised areas are where we really get stuck into things in smaller forums of like minded people.

A few years back some of the regional groups were merged to form larger groups, which can make some of the meetings a challenge to get to.

Something we feel UK itSMF needs to improve is its web presence - forums, wikis etc to allow collaboration when travel isn't possible.

All the national chapters can definitely learn from each other and improve - continually of course :-)

Claire