[p4] 3rd BCS CMSG Conference 15 & 16 May 2007 in Oxford

[Robert Cowham]

Dear All

The full programme for the conference is now in place, and registrations are
open!

Home Page:
http://www.bcs-cmsg.org.uk/conference/2007/index.shtml

Timetable with links to speakers and abstracts is:
http://www.bcs-cmsg.org.uk/conference/2007/timetable.shtml

Registration:
http://www.bcs-cmsg.org.uk/conference/2007/registration.shtml

Early Bird rates run until 23 March 2007.

The 3rd Conference of the British Computer Society Configuration Management
Specialist Group (BCS CMSG) will be held 15 & 16 May, 2007, at the Oxford
Belfry Hotel.

We are pleased to invite you to the third BCS CMSG Conference for managers,
practitioners and specialists working in change, release and configuration
management. This year our programme will focus on life-cycle management
across the supply chain, and the vital role of configuration and change
management in that process.

Enforcing mandatory process steps, meeting auditing and compliance goals,
ensuring proper approvals, communicating and managing change globally across
distributed teams and supply chains is one of the biggest challenges that
organisations face as they seek to deliver higher levels of quality for
their services, systems and products..

Industry analysts like Gartner, IDC, Forrester, Ovum and Meta Group have all
predicted a surge in the implementation and need for comprehensive life
cycle management , change management and SCM tools for all types of
enterprises (small, medium and large) worldwide. With the regulatory
compliance needs driven by such as Sarbanes-Oxley, CMMI and 21 CFR Part 11
and the desire to keep up with internal quality goals and objectives,
Configuration Management and Change Management have become important aspects
which can no longer be ignored.

ITILR (the IT Infrastructure Library) is the most widely accepted approach
to IT service management in the world. ITILR provides a cohesive set of best
practice. It is supported by a comprehensive qualifications scheme,
accredited training organisations, and implementation and assessment tools.
Core processes within ITIL are the change, configuration and release
management processes as well as the CMDB (configuration management
database).

With presentations by practitioners and world leaders in the field, we have
an exciting agenda aimed at encouraging the cross fertilisation of change,
configuration management and release management best practices throughout
the life cycle and across the supply chain. The Conference offers a unique
opportunity to explore collaborative ways of working that enable better
management of configurations.

The event has been planned to encourage a high degree of peer-to-peer
interaction and discussions in both formal and informal situations. This
will be a chance to renew old acquaintances and interact with those who have
real experience in the field. As delegates from previous conferences have
noted, the informal networking is hugely valuable.

The exhibition running alongside Conference is an excellent opportunity for
delegates to find out about new product developments and raise questions
about using new technologies.

Comments from previous delegates:

.	I met a lot of good contacts. I was reassured that the approaches we
were currently taking were on the right lines. I learnt some new techniques
that would benefit me going forward.
.	Gave food for thought and met my expectations and more.
.	A lot of good presentations mixed with offline discussions.
.	It has helped me to look at my role and that of my team. The time
out from work and the challenges offered by the speakers have been useful.
.	Well organised, good location and a nice mix of seminars.

Home Page:
http://www.bcs-cmsg.org.uk/conference/2007/index.shtml

Timetable with links to speakers and abstracts is:
http://www.bcs-cmsg.org.uk/conference/2007/timetable.shtml

Registration:
http://www.bcs-cmsg.org.uk/conference/2007/registration.shtml

Early Bird rates run until 23 March 2007.

Regards
Robert Cowham
BCS CMSG Chair