BOON OR BOONDOGGLE: TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL GDC

For some people, the 2008 Game Developers Conference (and the time leading up to it and immediately following it) can be a springboard of productive activity to shake off post-holiday languor. For others, GDC is a first-quarter boondoggle that marks the beginning of this year's game development march. If you're a hiring manager, exhibitor, job searcher, or other game industry aficionado out to maximize your visibility and networking prowess at GDC, read on.

For the thousands of intrepid souls who journey to GDC each year, it is a pilgrimage to the land of geek, a foray into the fortress of fun. Let's face it, at GDC we revert to kids in a toy store full of exciting, stimulating, next-great-thing toys. And just like kids, we immediately lose our focus and start looking at all the pretty, bright, shiny objects.

After a number of years of hands-on research, we are pleased to share some ideas to help you maximize your GDC experience, and maybe even help you kick that bright, shiny object obsession:

Plan Your Attack. Know why you are attending GDC. Are you an exhibitor? A job seeker? An industry professional hoping to learn a few new tricks? Know how much time you will be there, what obligations you have during the conference -- parties, booth duties, interviews, seminars, and so forth -- and with what you expect to walk away -- candidates, knowledge, job leads, tchotchkes? Build your schedule and strategy around the "desirables" by filling in the "musts" first.

Preview The Schedule. Once you've locked down your plan, check out the schedule online or in your welcome packet. Then highlight the places and people you need to see while you’re there. If you have the ability to schedule appointments with people (or at least make a date to make a date) before the event, do. This will help to give some structure to your days and will help you meet your “must do” goals.

Prioritize. If you’ve planned and previewed and determined that it’s unlikely you’ll be able to achieve all the things you’d hoped, start prioritizing. Are there things you can do before or after? Are you balancing business goals with personal goals? If so, are you giving priority to whoever’s paying you to be at GDC?

Prepare. Take the weeks leading up to GDC to get all your ducks in a row -- make calls and send e-mails to set up the people you most want to see at the conference. Research any seminars you really want to attend so you’re up on the information being presented. Break in some comfortable walking shoes if you’re going to do a lot of booth duty or booth crawling. If you’re candidate-seeking, prepare your collateral and job pitch. If you’re job-seeking, update your blog/Web site, print copies of your resume, and work on your elevator pitch.

Practice Working the Crowd. If introducing yourself to strangers makes you break out in hives, practice. It sounds a little odd, but put on your conference persona and practice introducing yourself to people on line at the grocery store; talk to the parking attendant as you’re paying on the way out; chat with your neighbor as you take out the garbage. If you’re okay chatting it up with new people one-on-one, but crowds make you nervous, try plotting your path for the first day at GDC -- booth crawl once, scope out which ones are busy, and learn the location of key places you need to visit. If you know people at a few booths, chat with them first to get comfortable. If you have a well-connected friend or colleague who can introduce you around, follow in that person’s wake and allow them to blaze a path for both of you through the crowds. Once the big event is upon you, remember to enjoy GDC for the fun research and networking opportunity that it is intended to be.

Finally, here a few practical tips for surviving and thriving at the Moscone Center:

• Wear comfortable clothes. Jeans and t-shirts or polos are de rigeur, and be sure to carry a light jacket or sweatshirt for an extra layer against San Francisco’s typically cool, overcast winter. Wear comfortable shoes you wouldn’t mind walking a half mile in.
• Bring a backpack or comfortable laptop bag to stow your gear in. The show bags are great for carrying home lots of giveaways, but are usually not designed with ergonomics in mind.
• Carry lots of business cards, a bottle of water, and hand sanitizer. Use your hand sanitizer A LOT; there are tons of bugs migrating through the conference center this time of year, and being sick for a week after being at a conference for a week is the pits.
• Keep a bit -- but not a lot -- of cash on hand for tips and drinks and such. And don’t forget to request receipts if you are expensing items.
• Know your travel itinerary and cell numbers of colleagues traveling with you. If you’re local, make arrangements to carpool or take public transportation to avoid traffic and parking hassles.

Make the most of your GDC experience by knowing your goals, creating a schedule, and recognizing your limits. We look forward to seeing you there in San Francisco from Feb. 19-21. DAM is exhibiting this year in the Career Pavilion at booth #722. If you’re job-seeking or candidate-seeking, looking for a place to practice your elevator pitch, or just need a friendly face in the crowd, stop by for a visit.