This may not be a technical blog but is a blog about my first experience at Microsoft Ignite, Singapore 2019 as an attendee. Sorry if I have grammar mistakes and this blog is boring to you because I am not a perfect writer.

This is a 2 days Microsoft Ignite Singapore and I was in Singapore a day earlier before the event. This blog will elaborate my each day experience on this 2 days at Microsoft Ignite, Singapore.

Day 1 (Wed, 16th January 2019)

The event started at 0800 am till 1730 pm and the venue is Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. I was there at 0730 am but I didn’t know that the guards were so strict about timing and doesn’t allow anyone to enter for registration, and I have to wait when the time is 0800 am sharp. So yes indeed there were quite an amount of people were waiting outside of the entrance. While waiting for the time to passed, I had a conversation with a person that is also waiting for the entrance door to open.

Once the time hit 0800 am, the long wait for the entrance door to open has open! Well the next thing you will see is a bunch of humans rush in to get registered.

After I got my registration done, then I head in to the Hub there you can see a board banner (written sponsors and Microsoft Ignite | The Tour) was placed at the side, for people to take photo with.

Moving on, you’ll see different companies booths where they are here to talk/present about their technology (example, Logitech, HPE, Microsoft Learn, Modern Desktop and etc.. ) and there’s small single Microsoft booths, where there’s a Professional at each small booth that will help you to answers questions regarding a specific Microsoft products. Those companies booths aren’t just plain Q&A, they also provide useful goodies too! Next, is you’ll see a buffet of breakfast (well only like 3 to 5 kinds of food), the food was still alright (My purpose of being here wasn’t about the food). In Ignite they do provide breakfast, lunch and tea times.

After I had my light breakfast, is time to walk around the hub, there’s a ping pong table and 4 different arcade games for attendees to play with it and have fun with it, which is pretty cool! If you get bored/tired with talking/mingle then you can have a silent moment to yourself while playing with the arcade game (Recharging).

Going through the sessions schedule it seems that this Ignite is focusing much more on Azure technology, such as Cloud App Security, Artificial Intelligent, Bot and etc. The speakers in Ignite are either Microsoft MVPs or volunteered Professionals. The sessions given are either informative/theory or practical which are pretty useful. These sessions are not all technical so don’t get it all wrong, they even have session on teaching you on how to persuade your organization to use this technology, keeping your organization up-to-date with today’s technology. These sessions are not all boring (well depending on how the speaker’s presentation).

Hmm…which sessions did I chose to go? Basically, I chose Security, AI, Bot, Microsoft Teams and IoT, I find them interesting categories and much related to what I do (technical or non-technical sessions). Sorry I can’t elaborate further on each sessions information, which I would find it unfair to exploit it. If you do wish to know what is it like in those sessions, then I recommend you to go to the next Microsoft Ignite 2019 to have your own experience, is open to public so get yourself register fast!

Besides, I even met a very old friend and it was great to reconnect with them, Day 1 of this Ignite was fun and exciting to meet new people, and get to know what are the Microsoft products updates. I didn’t spend much time on going through booths on Day 1, so that will have to be my Day 2 plan. Well that’s a wrap up for Day 1.

Day 2 (Thurs, 17th January 2019)

I was pack full of excitement looking forward for this Day 2! Day 2 wasn’t as crowded as Day 1 in the hub but it does feel crowded during sessions. Day 2’s sessions end as early as 1630 pm. So as for Day 2, is more practical sessions and deep learning sessions. As you can see there will be people writing down notes during practical sessions (Wow…so serious and focus!). I went for 3 different levels of Artificial Intelligent session, it is highly technical, informative, entertaining and creative on how the speaker present and their slides. Entertaining? Well you will have to find out yourself by going these kind of events. As I had said not all speakers are boring and not all speakers wish their audience to feel bored too. I even went to a session that speak about how to help us getting organization to use Microsoft Teams. There is also a session about Microsoft Kaizala, that I also went too.

As I was saying, I had a plan for Day 2 is to go to few booths and get more information and goodies. I went to Microsoft Learn booth and got myself registered for Microsoft Certification, I also went for Microsoft FastTrack wanting to know more what is it about and etc.. I think I visited 40% of the booths.

Since that Day 2 ends early, so time is important. Well I do had a another great time on Day 2. That’s another wrap up for Day 2!

I do look forward in going to these kind of events.

What’s my favorite part of Ignite? I would say the people, because I am pretty conservative person but I do love conversation (small talks/technical) and I choose to step out from my comfort zone by speaking with attendees. Asking them why they come to Ignite and etc..

Hope you enjoy this blog, if you don’t then I hope you have a nice day ahead!

Do follow me on twitter if you want to know more about such events, @oh_is_sabrina

THE END!