We caught up with SolarWinds Tech Evangelists Chrystal Taylor and Kevin Kline to gather some key insights from the events so far.
People Want Practical Demos and Hands-On Sessions
Across events in Houston, Washington D.C., and elsewhere, Chrystal and Kevin have observed a keen interest in in-person sessions and practical demonstrations. “There has been a definite hunger for hands-on learning,” says Kevin. “People have been eager to see how to use certain features live and troubleshoot specific problem scenarios.”
Kevin also notes that many professionals are keen to transfer their past troubleshooting experiences to make effective use of new tools. “From my interactions and observations, it seems that while many professionals know how to troubleshoot issues they have encountered personally, they often struggle with applying their past experiences to unfamiliar tools. Many of these professionals have had long careers before using our tools and have dealt with various problems manually. Now, they are unsure how to adapt their knowledge to new situations.”
To help educate customers on the full capabilities of tools, World Tour events feature hands-on demonstrations, complete with dedicated stations for in-depth exploration.
“The practical demos have been a big hit,” says Chrystal. “Any time there was a break, and even sometimes not during a break, they would sneak out into the hall like, ‘this presentation, maybe isn't as applicable to me. I'm going to sneak out into the hall and go visit the demos.’ They can get more, they can ask more specific questions, and they know that they're going to get answered because people running those demos are experts in those products.”
Different Industries, Different Attitudes
Our Tech Evangelists notice different expectations of certain technologies depending on the industry. Chrystal says, “At the presentation in Houston, many attendees have been from the oil and gas industry and have seemed quite averse to the idea of using AI. Although they have been somewhat interested in the overall topic, when asked about using AI in their applications, there has been little to no response.”
Some sectors, particularly government and healthcare, often take a more gradual approach to updating or replacing outdated applications due to concerns over potential risks.
“This is common in government, where a lot of red tape is involved in getting anything updated. In healthcare, the aversion is partly due to the potential harm that could arise from updates. They often keep applications no longer supported because they know how they work and serve the necessary functions. As a technologist, I understand how this could be problematic in the long run. They aren't preparing for the eventual failure of these applications, which will happen since they are no longer supported.”
Although industries have distinct needs, the Evangelists stress that SolarWinds can adapt to meet any requirements.
“People are at different stages of their digital transformation,” says Kevin, “and we can meet you where you are.”
There Are Two Kinds of IT Professional
Through the World Tour and at other IT events, Chrystal and Kevin have noticed two distinct perspectives on learning about new tools.
“There are two kinds of IT pros”, Chrystal says. “The reactive kind and the proactive kind. The proactive types are eager to explore the full capabilities of the tools, while the reactive types only tackle issues when they are urgent and are less inclined to explore additional features or updates. It's more exciting to talk about the proactive, but we need both sides.”
Kevin adds, “Not every single person in the industry can be a restless innovator. Sometimes you need someone who's going to do the same job for 20 years.”
IT professionals who are content with their current roles and responsibilities often thrive in environments where they can focus on specific tasks. Chrystal and Kevin also discuss the need for IT professionals to occasionally step outside their comfort zones and engage in both proactive and reactive tasks.
“It's good for both sides to experience the other side every once in a while,” Chrystal reflects.
Systems Thinking Is Sparking Conversation
One concept that many people have found particularly engaging is the idea of systems thinking, a concept that helps us understand how we think about our tools and the broader context in which they operate. In his presentation, SolarWinds Senior Director of Product Marketing RJ Gazarek explores how viewing IT environments through a systems lens can fundamentally change our understanding of operations. The relationship between different tools and processes isn't just linear; it's a complex web where changes in one area can significantly impact others.
Kevin explains: "A lot of people came back and said, 'You know, I really haven't thought about our ops environment as a system-based approach,' and it helped them feel much better about it. Some little decisions that they thought were made in isolation were, in fact, part of a broader system. Conversely, some people acknowledged that we made decisions that really didn't work out well because we didn't think about them as part of a system. So that spun up some talk in the hallway and some back and forth with the audience.”
Want to attend a SolarWinds World Tour event near you? Learn more here.
