Diving into RootsTech 2014

As I was going through my schedule for this month, I realized that the month would speed by with seven presentations and many classes at the Mesa FamilySearch Library. Before you or I know it, it will be February and I will be on my way to RootsTech 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah. I have been going through the schedule and using the iPad app have been selecting the classes I would most like to attend. If last year is any indication, I will likely spend more time talking to people and writing blog posts that I will attending classes.

I would suggest that anyone attending RootsTech 2014 go to the Schedule and begin planning your activities. One of the things I have found is that when you are there, if you want to get into some of the popular classes, you can't afford to spend the time looking at the schedule and making a decision as to which class to attend. Another suggestion is to take the time to read the class descriptions and not make a decision based solely on the name of the class. It looks to me like they have arranged the classroom assignments based on the assumed number of people who might be interested. It also looks to me like some of the classes are going to be filled very quickly, no matter what the size of the room. You might also realize that the computer labs are likely to be jammed with people.

If you have attended in the past years, you should be very aware that the venue within the Salt Palace has changed. The event is now been moved to the main Salt Palace Convention area which is south and east of the area used for the last three years. Moving to the classrooms will be somewhat easier. It is a good idea also to study the map and see how you will be moving from class to class. The change in location will also mean a lot more walking for those of us staying at the hotels on South Temple.

One very interesting feature of this year's event is that 44 or so of the classes will be broadcast to over 500 locations world wide in ten different languages. My broadcast presentation on Blogging will be on Thursday at 4:00 pm in the Hall D. The map shows Hall D as right next to the Exhibit Hall and between Hall E where the Keynote sessions are held and the Exhibit Hall. FamilySearch is estimating that with the added world wide coverage, the Conference could have over 100,000 viewers.

Another addition to this year's Conference is an extra day on Wednesday, February 5th called the Innovator Summit. Here is the description of the event:

New in 2014, RootsTech Innovator Summit is a unique opportunity for software developers, entrepreneurs and technology business leaders to explore and influence technology solutions in the family history industry.

This year, we’ve created a day for a wider audience of innovators to participate in a great lineup of sessions and content. Attendees will have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from other developers, business leaders, academia, and industry experts on Wednesday, Feb. 5 2014, and then participate fully in the RootsTech conference and Expo Hall from Thursday through Saturday, which also includes several business oriented sessions for innovators.

I am planning on attending this event and already have more classes on my schedule than I will likely be able to attend. I have recruited my wife to attend some of the classes for me, so I won't miss the announcements etc.

As I have in the past, I will be posting live from the Conference with commentary and news. So stay tuned. The time is passing fast and the conference will soon be upon us.