For those that have attended the 2010 X Change Web Analytics Conference you know that it was an amazing experience. For any that did not make it, boy did you miss out! This was once of the best conferences I have ever attended.

Even with the conference attendance being limited to a small number, I had the opportunity to meet with and have really great conversations with most of the people there. The format of the conference is unlike anything you will find elsewhere. There are no speakers, no presentations, no sales pitches. It is as the title says an exchange of ideas among the attendees. The sessions or huddles as they call them are a focused conversation with 8-14 people who are passionate about the topic at hand. Each attendee is invited and encouraged to participate in the discussion and in the huddles I was apart of, almost every person there had something to offer to the conversation.

The huddles that I was able to attend were:

• Integrating Web Analytics and CRM
• Do’s & Don’ts when working with developers
• Turning around troubled Web Analytics deployments
• Moving from short-term conversion to lifetime value
• The myth of the “Universal” tag

Every huddle leader did a great job of keeping the conversation focused and on topic without limiting the natural flow of the conversation. And being able to listen to others in the industry that have struggled and had success in dealing with the same issues that I have faced. I was able to take plenty of notes and many take aways to put into action almost immediately.

In addition to the huddles there were multiple functions that enabled you to interact with your fellow attendees and continue the conversations from the huddles or branch off new topics with new people. The list folks I was able to meet and talk to were too numerous to list, but everyone there at the conference was approachable and eager to share their knowledge and experiences with others.

The Semphonic and Web Analytics Demystified folks really know how to put on a great event, and I am grateful to have been able to participate and I am looking forward to next year’s event already.