Introduction

The sun was shining, the BBQ was sizzling, and innovation was in the air as I attended the Forrester Data Strategy and Insights Conference Conference in Austin, Texas. This event brought together some of the brightest minds in the world of data and analytics, offering a unique opportunity to gain insights, network with industry leaders, and explore the latest trends in the field. In this blog post, I'll share my highlights and key takeaways from this enlightening conference.

Day 1:

The conference kicked off with an interesting keynote address that really set the whole tone for the event. The keynote was given by George Colony, founder, Chairman of the Board, and Chief Executive Officer of Forrester Research. While Mr. Colony spoke on a few different topics, one clearly stood out from the rest - Generative AI. He noted that Forrester usually doesn’t recommend businesses to jump on board right away with new and emerging technologies, but he said we should all have been thinking about/implementing Gen AI yesterday.

Gen AI was certainly one of the key themes of the conference. Forrester analysts were ready to share the latest research, best practices, and client stories about how to innovate with AI and analytics in a responsible and secure manner.

Additional conference themes included how to utilize modern data architectures and emerging technologies in data management to support data and analytics strategy; how data governance increases collaboration, alignment, and trust across organizations; and why data sharing, data security, and data understanding yield better insights-driven decision-making.

The team and I attended various sessions throughout the day as well as walk the showroom floor. Showroom floor was filled with data and analytics vendors promoting their products and giving out tons of fun swag.

The first day wrapped up with an evening reception that included live entertainment, we were in Austin after all!

Day 2:

The second day of the conference kicked off with another insightful keynote, “Dissect the Anatomy of Decisions to Improve Your Business Health”. This was given by Brandon Purcell, VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester. Mr. Purcell introduced Forrester’s decision-making framework and revealed best practices for humans, technology, and man-machine partnerships throughout the decision-making process.

The day was filled with more sessions and meeting new vendors. At 2:20pm the final keynote was given and we were off to the airport by 3:30pm.

Key Takeaways

As I reflect on my time at the Forrester Data Strategy and Insights Conference, a few key takeaways stand out:

1. Generative AI isn’t coming, it’s here

2. Data governance continues to be top of mind

3. Insights-driven decision-making is essential

Conclusion

My experience at the Forrester Data Strategy and Insights Conference was both enlightening and inspiring. I look forward to applying the knowledge and insights gained from this conference. Until next year's conference, I'll be diligently working to turn these insights into action.