There is never not a good time to go down to lovely San Diego, so when I was asked to attend the ATD 2023 conference, I leapt at the opportunity. At the second conference I attended representing Evolve Solutions Group, I was in awe of the sheer scale of the event, with more than 9,000 people attending. It was a wonderful experience walking around the tiny city that was erected in the San Diego Convention Center and learning about the hundreds of companies and services on display. I lost count of the number of conversations I had, where I talked shop with fellow instructional designers, discovered the potential of new learning products, or simply socialized with fellow members of my industry from all over the world.
While I certainly was out of breath navigating the massive Convention Center, I really enjoyed attending the variety of seminars hosted at the event. There were several sessions where I received valuable insight and advice in taking my Instructional Design and training strategies to the next level. I also took a great deal away from each keynote speaker at the beginning of each jam-packed day, listening to their respective journeys and understanding how they connected to learning and development and the world in general.
By far the highlight of ATD was the evening networking event on the penultimate day of the conference. I will always remember having a couple of drinks on the actual field at Petco Park and listening to the live band play a catalogue of the best hits from the 80s. The night ended with a hot air balloon ride where I got to take in the sights of San Diego from high up in the air, although I was certainly grateful when I could put my feet back on solid ground!
ATD 2023 was an invaluable experience for me, not only because of all the positive memories I will take away from it, but also because of everything I learned from talent professionals from all corners of the globe. I cannot wait for the ATD conference next year, this time in New Orleans!