Counsel for the prosecution: Gareth Kershaw

Before presenting the case for the prosecution, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, a quick word about the defence. There isn’t one. Let’s be in no doubt; the average IT Trade Show failed to impress most people even in its halcyon days. Which have long since gone. 

Not that this will discourage the defence of course, who, in the absence of any real mitigation, will probably try to divert your attention and common sense with some sleight of hand and a few familiar trade show buzzwords.

She’ll likely talk about the value of ‘real’ networking; face to face conversation, hands on experience. She might mention the importance of keeping one’s finger on the pulse and of physical human interaction. She may even try to sell you on those dubious bolt-on working sessions and seminars that litter expo itineraries.

In the end though, the defence knows like I do, that these arguments simply paper over cracks that have long since widened beyond economic repair.

And so to the prosecution, which I thought might be fun if it was based on something a little less abstract. The law perhaps. (And it’s in Latin, and everything!) Res Ipsa Loquitur. The facts speak for themselves. And in this case the facts are these: where they used to be a worthy staple of the industry, these days most IT Trade shows are an abject waste of time, money, and effort. Where to begin…

There are exceptions of course, but most shows are too irrelevant, too random, too big, too spread out, and either too crowded or not nearly crowded enough.

They’re too frequent and too dilute – so it’s impossible to pick and choose which you should and shouldn’t attend; (I for one invariably get it wrong.) 

Some are far too broadbrush; others too specific.

Most are too expensive. (Even after entrance fees, which seem inordinately variable, there are your travel and hotel costs) and the rest – i.e. free events – are just plain rubbish. And talking of hotels it’s a physical and logistical impossibility to get one within 100 miles of the venue unless you book at least a decade in advance.

Worst of all, having exhausted every variety of Frisbee and stress toy, the novelty giveaways have gone right downhill of late.

I could go on but intrinsically these factors and more all add up to the same thing – that the traditional IT expo is too static and intransigent; an anachronism.

While the rest of the world has been busy coming up with alternative ways to expo and network – online forums, webinars, podcasts et al – technology, the industry that should have embraced such change more than any other, seems barely to have evolved beyond the marketing equivalent of a PE teacher.     

The upshot, as any sane person knows, is that a day can now be more engagingly and gainfully spent say, picking one’s nose, than schlepping down to the NEC for Drainage & Sewer Software Technologies 2008 or whatever. 

Technology moves on. It’s time its public face did too.

The crown needs no witnesses – Res Ipsa Loquitur – because the only sensible verdict is Guilty. Prosecution rests.  


Counsel for the defence: Tracey Caldwell

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury. While my learned colleague makes an interesting and eloquent point, he is both rather too cock-sure of himself and irretrievably wrong.

Yes the IT Trade Show has its issues. The rise of virtual, web-based events. A growing reluctance to schlep down to some out of the way venue. The expense. The time. The question of relevance. The fact that the sheer number and variety can makes it difficult  for potential attendees to pick and choose between shows. All these things are true.

But there are other equally vital truisms here that he fails to point out; the most central and immovable of which proves the case for the defence beyond all doubt: like it or not there really is no substitute for good old, first hand, person to person networking – especially when you can do it all in the same place at the same time like you can at a good trade show.

The evidence is clear. All your potential suppliers and their products under one roof. The chance to compare solutions side by side and see them demonstrated in a truly neutral environment. A forum to catch up with new technologies and stay up to date with the marketplace (surely still within the remit of even the busiest IT director?). Product evaluations and supplier meetings that would otherwise take weeks and months.

The prosecution also fails to mention the patchiness and mediocrity of many of the emerging so called alternatives. At best online forums lack the human touch; at worst they’re downright boring. Neither do they offer anything like the informal after-show networking opportunities afforded by traditional expos: an invaluable adjunct to formal meetings. Besides which, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy (and a less savvy, effective business leader). 

There are other, more tangible mitigating value-adds too. Cynicism or no, many of the seminars and working sessions to be had are both exclusive and valuable. Moreover, expos are also great for picking up ideas for cutting spend, consolidating, and planning - great if the credit crunch is putting the kibosh on your budgets.

All these factors considered, I put it to you that while the commercial world is evolving and the tradeshow must evolve with it, pressing the flesh remains an invaluable, indispensible way of doing business and the IT tradeshow remains the sine qua non of pressing the flesh.

On these grounds alone (and because I know a bit of Latin too!), the only possible verdict is a resounding not guilty.