Hosted by Chandra Wobschall and Paul Houtkooper

Hello JDE Connection listeners! Welcome back to another engaging episode of The JDE Connection podcast with your hosts, Chandra Wobschall, senior business analyst at Brightview Landscapes, and Paul Houtkooper, Vice President of JD Edwards Product Development at Oracle. This week, we tackled a popular topic: the value of attending JD Edwards conferences, specifically BLUEPRINT 4D and INFOCUS. We were joined by a stellar panel of guests: Don Sauve from Wilbur Ellis, Chris Noack from Granite Construction, AJ Schifano from Oracle, and Haiyan Wang, also from Oracle.

Don’s Perspective: Diverse Experiences and Continuous Learning

Don Sauve highlighted the different experiences each conference offers. He has attended both BLUEPRINT 4D and INFOCUS, finding immense value in both. BLUEPRINT 4D tends to have a higher-level focus, providing visionary ideas, while INFOCUS offers a more granular, hands-on approach. Don appreciates the variety of presentation types, from customer-led sessions to SIG meetings, and always returns with valuable information and connections.

AJ’s View: Parallel to Product Development

AJ Schifano shared a unique perspective, likening the conferences to the product development lifecycle. BLUEPRINT 4D is the creative, imaginative phase where ideas and business values are explored, while INFOCUS is the hands-on, implementation phase. He loves how each conference serves a distinct purpose, offering a balance between conceptual discussions and practical applications.

Chris’ Insight: Networking and Presentation Benefits

Chris Noack emphasized the non-repetitive nature of sessions at both conferences, ensuring attendees get unique experiences each time. He enjoys presenting at these events, not just for the fame (kidding!), but for the rewarding interactions and follow-up questions from attendees. Chris also mentioned the value of discounted conference passes for presenters, encouraging more people to share their insights and experiences.

Haiyan’s Take: Showcasing and Learning

Haiyan Wang expressed her pride in showcasing the hard work of her team at these conferences. She enjoys seeing how customers use their products to solve real-world problems and reduce customizations. Haiyan finds it incredibly rewarding to present their work and gather feedback, which helps drive future enhancements.

Chandra’s Encouragement: Share Your Stories

Chandra added a crucial point about the importance of sharing stories, no matter how basic they may seem. Even presentations on older technologies can provide significant value, as not everyone is up to date with the latest features. Encouraging others to present and share their experiences helps build a supportive and knowledgeable community.

Paul’s Reflection: The Networking Effect

Paul wrapped up the discussion by emphasizing the networking benefits of these conferences. Meeting other users, hearing their stories, and seeing how they implement JD Edwards solutions builds confidence and fosters a strong community. The feedback and connections made at these events are invaluable.

Final Thoughts and Future Conferences

We closed the episode by encouraging everyone to attend these conferences if possible. The learning, networking, and inspiration gained from these events are well worth the investment. We also reminded listeners that Quest has a wealth of recorded content available, perfect for exploring on a relaxed Friday afternoon.

Stay Connected

We hope you enjoyed this episode as much as we did. Remember, you can reach out to us with any feedback or ideas you may have for future episodes by emailing us at TheJDEConnection@QuestOracleCommunity.org. Be sure to stay tuned for more insights, stories, and exciting developments from the world of JD Edwards.

Until next time, let’s keep sharing, learning, and most importantly, laughing together!

Toodles!

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Quest Oracle Community is where you learn. Ask questions, find answers, swap stories and connect to other JD Edwards customers and product experts in the JD Edwards Community, where you can also check out what’s happening in the Business Analyst SIG.