OUGN 2026 - Back on the Boat

My first Norwegian User Group OUGN event was 2010. It was on a boat and just so different. I spoke again in 2014,2015,2016,2017. In 2020 I was all set to go but it was the first casualty in Covid. I spoke again in 2022, but on the first few years post Covid they stayed on land as they like all user groups had to rebuild their events.

Last year they took the brave step to go back on the boat and it was a great success, so I was glad to be joining them in 2026, my 7th OUGN event. Thank you to the Oracle ACE program for help with funding.

I spoke on Ai in EBS and AI Adoption in Fusion. I had suggested a panel session on AI in Apps and OUGN facilitated that, and we had a great discussion with the audience.

My belief here which is similar to what I see elsewhere is that on premise customers really want to know their options, happy perhaps with the applications but wondering how will they approach AI? This meant EBS delegates were attending both EBS and Fusion sessions.

They had a number of high profile Fusion customers speaking, including a bank and the post office which I found really interesting. Customer stories is my day job.

One of the highlights of the boat experience is traveling under the Great Belt Bridge (Denmark) and as sun sets on the way home, I love to be on deck and experience the impressive moment. However this year that clashed with the panel session. Obviously the boat also did this on the way out but it happens at 5m, so Kamil and I braced the cold and dark and were not disapointed. Had it not been so cold I would have stayed out another 30 minutes to witness the sunrise but I was frozen through.

Another great tradition is the dinners on the boat, in such a marvellous setting. One of my favourite events and destinations.