A few years ago, Codeworks set up a modest one day conference at Sage Gateshead. This first conference  ‘360’, showcased new and emerging technologies to web design and digital companies in the North East, with keynotes on BT’s 21century network and IP convergence, but it had ambitions of becoming something much, much bigger.

I was invited by local IT supplier ITPS to attend that first conference, and was introduced to the codeworks team, and there began a long and happy relationship.

The following year it was rebranded as “Thinking Digital” and evolved into a 3 day conference, with a growing national and international reputation, but it still had ambitions of becoming even bigger and even better. I’d attended the conference last year and frankly, could not see how they could improve on last year…

But Herb and the team managed to pull it off yet again!

This year’s conference built on the Wednesday workshops, with the ‘Thinking Digital University”. BALTIC was lucky enough to play host to one of these sessions, entitled Practical Wisdom, chaired by author, mentor, public speaker and ft columnist Mike Southern, and speakers from the ethical superstore, bootlaw and broadband computer company.

It’s quite hard to put your finger on what made this years conference, the best to date; the content of last years conference was just as good, the speakers of the same excellent calibre and the organisation of the event just as professional, it just seemed to flow better this year. That is what comes of experience, grouping the session into subtle themes, and arranging the themes so that they work together and blending them so you get just the right mix of learning, laughter, excitement and drama. Adding the music of The Sancho Plan, Oonagh Cassidy, and Rob Colling work perfectly.

As blogger steve clayton, points out on his geek in disguise site, there were things that could be improved, time did over run my over an hour and it is difficult to see delegates name badges, and there could have been more power. But these things are really minor and they are the kind of things that can be put right.

Another thing that makes this conference stand out for me, is the general quality of the delegates, with a mix of top academics, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and creatives. Over the course of the conference I met some of the most interesting people,  some of which I’ve already pencilled in meetings with post conference. I found myself sitting next to people like Microsoft evangelist and award winning blogger Steve Clayton, interface guru Jonny Lee Chung, BBC backstage’s Ian Forrester, and codeworks media office Lewis Harrison.

So what did I learn this year? In a typical thinking digital way, I learned some practical skills like how to network, and do an elevator pitch , I discovered more details  of some things I was already familiar with (like the latest touch screen and laser cut technologies), I also learned some things that were entirely new to me, things including what the smallest particles are made of, and  what some of the largest things look like (what you can when you look though  the world wide telescope), how to use our sense of smell,  and what it takes to be a toymaker. I learnt about what is going on around the world , but also what is happening on my door step.

Codework’s Herb Kim, announced that next year’s Thinking Digital Conference with be part of a week long festival in conjunction with Gateshead council. Booking is already open for next year (this years delegates get a special super early bird discount) Head to www.thinkingdigital.co.uk/tdc2010 and enter TDC_class2009 into the promotional code area. Available until 29 May, 2009.

What I took away from this years the conference, wasn’t  just the goodie bag, (and a few lolly wrappers), but was something that is much harder to but a value on; better understanding of what is happening outside of my organisation, new contacts and friendships (that could come in very useful in the future), renewed passion for what I do, motivation to go and play with new technologies, and hopefully a contagious enthusiasm  that will spread all to all of my colleagues and our visitors ……….

I’d like to wind up by thanking the entire Codeworks team,  the volunteers,  the speakers and the delegates for pulling out all the stops and making TDC a fantastic conference again this year.

I feel very privileged to have once again secured a ticket for the Thinking Digital Conference.  The conference organised by Codeworks and headed up by Herb Kim, runs from 13th to 15th May at the Sage Gateshead.

Building on last year’s success, the conference kicks off with a choice of 3 half day workshops, following the tracks of social networking, gadgets or enterprise. This year’s workshops look even bigger and better than last years with even more speakers and have have been billed as the ‘Digital University’. In addition to conference goers, tickets for the workshops are available to codeworks members and none members a like, giving those people that can’t get to the whole conference a change to see at least some of the key speakers in action.

As IT manager at BALTIC, it’ll be my honour to play host to the enterprise session in our cinema, from 2:30 – 4:30 on Wednesday. We’ll be getting our best leather swivel chairs our for the panel of 7 distinguished speakers to dispense some ‘practical wisdom’. The panel consisting of  Mike Southon (FT), Harry Drnec (former CEO Red Bull UK), Barry Vitou & Danvers Ballieu (Bootlaw), Andrew Barke (Google) and Andy Redfern & Ben Mawhinney (EthicalSuperstore.com) will be giving us some valuable advice on running a business and  legal issues and some insights into online advertising.

There are now some 38 speakers signed up to give keynote speeches over the 3 day event, including some of the best known people in technology, learning, media and social networking from companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, The Financial Times,  and Newsweek, as well as top tech and social media authors of books like ‘The Whuffie Factor‘ and ‘The Pirates Dilema‘.

And if that is not enough for you… there will be some 400 or so delegates attending the conference, so there will be plenty of opportunities for networking and discussing the latest technologies, innovations and trends at the variety of parties, dinners and lunches during the conference. I even think i heard that singer Oonagh Cassidy will be putting in an apearance at some point.

Finally for the real hardcore, if 3 days of intensive training just isn’t enough (or if you can’t make thinking digital, or the boss was just too stingy to send you!) there is always Barcamp NorthEast 2, taking place on the 16th and 17th of May. Quite unlike Thinking Digital, barcamps are often refered to as an unconferences, or sometimes as a sleepovers for geeks, there is no planned itinerary, admission is free, anyone can attend (provided they book a ticket) and everyone must present (or help out in some way).

So get those moo cards printed, get your twitter profile up to date and get your geekiest teeshirt on and we’ll see you in the North East in May.