5 Must-See Sessions at This Year’s ATD International Conference

The annual ATD International Conference and Expo is coming up on May 22 – 25 in Denver, CO, and it’s one of the most well-attended and diverse talent development conferences around. With more than 300 educational sessions from industry game-changers, and another 300 exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge products and solutions, it’s a great opportunity to immerse yourself in a sea of new ideas and technologies from companies around the world.

Of course, with such a wide range of things to see, do, and learn, planning your schedule can get a little overwhelming. To gear up for ATD 2016, we took a spin through the agenda and highlighted a few sessions you won’t want to miss. Check them out below! And since Inkling is an ATD sponsor, we hope to see you there!

Talent Strategy Mapping for Development Planning, Measurement, Evaluation, and Analytics

Who: Jon Ingham, Strategic Dynamics

When: Sunday, May 22, at 11:45am – 1:00pm

Where: Mile High 1a/1b

What: Planning, measurement, and analysis are often seen as separate activities when it comes to talent strategy, but the truth is, success rarely happens in a silo. This session will walk through a planning matrix to integrate your business and talent strategy for stronger ROI. No analytics experience? No fear—the session is designed to be of value for anyone from a senior executive to a talent developer.

10 Practical Principles for Creating Impactful E-Learning

Who: Ethan Edwards, Allen Interactions

When: Monday, May 23, at 1:00pm – 2:15pm

Where: Mile High 4d/4f

What: In spite of well-meaning designers and content creators, a lot of e-learning material shares the same flaw: it’s boring. In this session, Edwards will provide a set of simple principles to design e-learning for greater user engagement and impact. No matter the content format, topic, or authoring tool, you’ll learn strategies to immediately improve the effectiveness of your content.

From Training Turmoil to Tranquility: How Real Companies Solve Today’s Biggest Training Challenges

Who: Kim Desmond, Inkling

When: Monday, May 23, at 3:00pm – 4:00pm

Where: Room 504

What: With dozens of articles on how to design a great learning program, four generations of employees to engage and educate, and executives who want to see immediate ROI, actually implementing a program can come with a lot of anxiety. Join Inkling and our all-star panel of customers, including Systran and Liberty Mutual, to learn how they overcame the typical L&D anxieties with an innovative, successful learning solution. You’ll walk away calm and confident, ready to tackle any learning curveball thrown your way.

Brave Leaders, Courageous Cultures

Who: Brené Brown, University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work

When: Tuesday, May 24, at 8:00am – 9:30am

Where: Bellco Theater

What: Brown is the author of three best-selling books on braver living, loving, and leading, and is one of this year’s keynote speakers. Thirteen years of research on courage and vulnerability has taught her to believe in the power of leadership at every level. In her talk, she’ll explore how brave leaders find greater potential not only in themselves, but in the people and processes around them. This session is for anyone—leaders, entrepreneurs, culture shifters—who believe that igniting creativity, innovation, and learning requires a humanization of the way we work and learn.

Advancing the Role of L&D: Becoming a Critical Channel in Executing Strategy

Who: David Yesford, Wilson Learning

When: Tuesday, May 24, at 10:00am – 11:15am

Where: Room 301/303

What: Talent strategy is increasingly seen by CEOs as a top priority for growth, giving L&D professionals a chance to play a vital role in business strategy. This session will walk through how to think beyond the needs expressed by one person, department, or executive, and define what the business truly needs. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of how to establish trust with your internal customers and add value at every step of the learning process.

What sessions are you planning to attend at ATD 2016? Let us know in the comments!