OUGN 17 - I love this boat

This year the Norwegian user group had their 10th annual conference aboard the ColorLine cruise ship. For me it was my fifth, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016 and now 2017.

On my first cruise with OUGN they had about 250 delegates but this grows every year and what I really love is they have a good, solid applications interest. I don't often go to the same user groups every year but OUGN is one I like to. The sessions give them the opportunity to ask questions, and as we can't run away there is a lot of networking and conversations about projects.

This year I missed the speakers dinner as I was hosting the UKOUG Applications Cloud Event in London, and as it was still had to leave that early. However Martin Widlake had recommended an amazing boutique hotel in Oslo and we all met up for breakfast before walking down to the boat.

 One of the exhibitors EBS Consulting are now embarking on their own Cloud Applications journey and it was interesting to hear their thoughts and we discussed based on the experience of projects I have been involved in, different ways to approach. They have been listening to me with interest for a number of years and now wanted back presentations. I hope that is true of all users, it may not be relevant to you today, but if you listen and keep abreast of the changes, if you later need to be involved you will be much better prepared.

The exhibition on the boat is held on a car deck, and there is a great buzz. I spent a lot of time talking to Oracle about the number adoption of Cloud in the Nordics and just loved this T shirt one of them had had made. Think I should get a few for his colleagues in the UK. 

As ever their was a great number of ACEs on this very popular event, and it is always good to catch up with them and the hospitality of the Norwegians is faultless.

My favourite things outside the sessions, is the chance of a currywurst in Keil and the ever stunning sunset as we make our way under the Great Belt Bridge on the way home. 

photo thanks to Arturo Viveros

Then all too soon we were back in Oslo and saying goodbye to everyone. I did go walking around the Town with Sai and Simon Haslam as we were all on the same flight home. Hope to be back soon.