I’m going to be honest. When we decided back in March to pivot our largest event of the year from an in-person event to a virtual one, I wasn’t sure what we were getting ourselves into. I didn’t know how we could replace the in-person networking, the unlimited learning opportunities or the energy of exchanging ideas face-to-face with like-minded colleagues.

But I also didn’t know how many new options were available for creating a virtual conference experience. Learning the tools and technologies for transforming a live event into a digital experience has been an adventure.

With our Virtual SAS® Global Forum fast approaching, I wanted to take a minute to introduce you to some of the creative ways our talented team came up with to help you connect through this new online experience.

1. Hear stories of innovation in the auditorium. Find presentations for users, customers, partners and executives all day on June 16, or return at a later date to watch archived presentations that interest you. You’ll hear how SAS customers are changing the world and be inspired by keynote speaker Simon Sinek.
2. Chat with booth staff in The Quad. Five interactive booths will be staffed with SAS experts. You can ask the expert, join a forum and watch Super Demo videos in each booth.
3. Earn prizes in the game center. Test your SAS skills and play against other attendees for a chance to win fun swag.
4. Interact with other SAS fans in the networking area. Network with other attendees, ask questions and discuss what you’ve learned. To continue the connections, consider visiting a SAS Support Community or join the SAS Analytics Explorers, a dedicated group of SAS advocates.
5. Learn new skills with free training. Many of the workshops and half-day training courses that used to precede SAS Global Forum are now being offered for free, as part of registration. Training topics range from containers and Kubernetes to machine learning and data visualization.
6. Schedule a meeting with an expert. If you're looking for a more in-depth discussion, you can schedule a meeting with an expert. This option allows you to discuss specific challenges you’re facing and how analytics can help.

As you can tell, our Executive Board and conference teams have worked hard to create a virtual experience where you can watch highly anticipated presenters, interact with SAS experts, attend more than 150 sessions, access hundreds of resources and have the flexibility to create your own conference experience throughout the day.

I’m really looking forward to the interactive experience to learn – and play! The whole event has been created to redesign an interactive tradeshow experience for the digital world, complete with a hands-on look at SAS technology and access to more than 300 SAS experts. I hope you will use it to share bold discoveries and foster innovation. So register now and mark your calendar for June 16 at 11 a.m. ET.