Why Your GIS Conference Should include non-GIS Presentations

Tim O’Reiily tweeted about a new exhibition at the City Museum of New York profiled in the New York Times. It’s a project that recreates the natural history of the island of Manhattan, aka Manahatta. Is this an article I’d read or exhibit I’d attend? Not necessarily. But, include it in a “GIS” conference, and yes, I’d attend the presentation. I did; at the NYS Summit in 2008. And it was memorable.

How many presentations at today’s events are really that memorable? Not so many. Which are memorable? One characteristic of the really memorable ones, so far as I’m concerned:  presentations where we are not talking to ourselves. This was one of those. Consider that when putting together your conference program; I know we are doing that for the Location Intelligence Conference.