1: Check out the agenda, and work out which sessions are most relevant for your organization. 

It’s helpful to consider your organization’s vision and goals, and connect these with sessions that may help with these. For example, if your organization has a goal of boosting gender equality in its work or using digital tools to respond to crises like COVID-19 and is wondering how to go about this, you could highlight the potential value of sessions like Gender and Data or Digital Innovation in the Time of COVID-19. You might want to create a sample schedule for yourself that includes key sessions, and states your reasons for attending each of them.

2: Explore the list of speakers, and highlight those you’d like to network with on your organization’s behalf. 

At the CGIAR Convention on Big Data in Agriculture 2020, there’ll be a number of opportunities to connect with speakers and other conference-goers, such as through the numerous Q+A sessions and showcases. Create a list of speakers you will aim to network with during the conference, and the questions you’d like to ask them – again, keeping in mind your organization’s vision and goals.

3: Make a list of your top three reasons for attending the CGIAR Convention on Big Data in Agriculture 2020. For example, you might point out that:

• You will gain practical knowledge and skills to help your organization access, handle and make use of the latest developments in big data. 
• Big data is a rapidly-evolving field with huge potential. This conference offers the opportunity to position your organization at the cutting edge and learn about the latest tools and possibilities, from experts at the coal-face of the transition. 
• By listening to success stories from elsewhere, your organization will save time and money on trying to figure out what works, and can make more effective and efficient choices. 

4: Arrange to speak with your boss about the idea in person, or send them a formal request email. 

Describe the conference, link them to the webpage, outline the points above, and clarify how you plan to manage any missed meetings, engagements or deadlines.

5: Set a date for feeding back your learnings to the rest of the team. 

This shows you’re really serious about bringing value back to the organization – and it’s a useful prompt for making sure you retain, integrate and share what you’ve learned. You might decide to do this as a short presentation during your next team meeting, a lunchtime talk, a written report or something else. 

Good luck!

Feature photo: ThoughtFolks Media. Team members of Inspire Challenge finalist projects applaud at the 2019 Big Data in Agriculture Convention at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in Hyderabad, India.