Michael Lord

It’s a cold wet morning in Sydney as I sit in my home office. We have a “east coast low” sitting just off shore which has turned summer off for a few days, dumped a whole lot of rain and blown away the building humidity. The hot weather will return in the next few days and we will see a few more weeks of summer. But another summer will soon come to an end.

Looking back it’s been a good summer and a interesting start to the year. A week up the coast and a great Australia v India Test Cricket series has made for a good Australian summer.

But as it is coming to an end, now is a good time to turn our attentions to things more important. With just over a month to go, now is time to turn my attention to 3DEXPERIENCE WORLD 2025 – Houston TX

I have to say I’m looking forward to be heading, to a different city. After the repeats of Dallas, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Dallas, Nashville, Nashville, Dallas it will be interesting to experience somewhere I haven’t been before. Which is not quite a 100% correct as I have transited though Houston International airport on a number of occasions and I did get to spend a day in Houston at the Johnson Space Center (a must) due to a faulty plane toilet & a missed connecting flight! Not that World is all about the location, but it does have an influence on the event, and it is always nice to have adventures in a different city.

More importantly, it is time to get organised, if you have not already done so! No matter if it is your first or you twenty first time to World, there are things you need to consider.

Technical Sessions
By now you should have made your selections for the Technical Session.   Now go back and look for a backup!  The World site wont let you make multiple selection for the same timeslot, but you can select them as “Favourites”. I’ve always found it more convenient to use my Outlook calendar and create meeting, this way, at a quick glance I can see what sessions I have marked down, and can decide which one I’ll attend. I like to keep my option open and make my mind up at the time.

There are a couple of reasons to have multiple presentations book marked.  Unless it is a hands on session, just because you have selected it, it doesn’t guarantee you a seat in the room!  Once the room has reached capacity the doors get closed!  

This year, more than ever! I find myself in that very position! I am presenting, my Slightly Advanced SOLIDWORKS – Utilizing Surface Tools for Solid Modeling, in what would have to be the prime time slot of Monday 2:30pm

However, it is a very competitive time slot and not only am I up against the most attended session, from last years World, by Betty Baker, John Matrishon & Joe Lance with the return of their Jazzy Tips & Tricks presentation.

But also in the same time slot as Ed Eaton who is one of the most experience & knowable presenters (ever) with his Optimizing Parts & Assemblies Document Templates presentation.

Both those presentations will be full! If you are not there early, then you will need to have me marked down for a backup😊. Besides don’t worry about missing out on Tips & Tricks I have plenty of those in my presentation.

More importantly, the presentation may not be what you think it is, the presenter may not be as dynamic as you would have liked or you have no idea what they are talking about!   Don’t stay, it’s your World and you are there for yourself.  Consult your back up session, extract yourself the best way that you can and head to your alternate room.  Sure you won’t get the full session but part is better than none.

“use your Sunday well”

Unless you are taking a Certification exam, attending the CAD Managers Boot Camp or some Feedback sessions you might think you have an easy Sunday. Which leads into “use your Sunday well”  Register early, then if you have questions, first visit The Hive, which will be in the Playground this year!  Everyone there can assist and will have good advice. 

More importantly, use the time to know where everything is. 

Walk each of your days, following the order of your selected sessions. 
The George R Brown Convention Centre has virtual tours and there will be maps as part of the things you are given when you pick up your pass, but nothing beats a good reconnaissance. If it is like most of the convention centres, it will be large and you can guarantee that there will be at least one of two rooms tuck away in some some corridor at the far end of the building up three flights of stairs and round a corner!

Wear comfortable shoes & get some fresh air!

3DEXPERIENCE World is more of an endurance event than a sprint! Wear comfortable shoes. You are going to be putting in 10-15 km/ 6-10miles, a day without trying! The numbers and hours will add up as each day goes by!
Also try and get some fresh air, along with some sunshine in the day light hours !  It is not hard to find that you have spent 3days indoors without being outside in the daylight hours.   It can be hard to take all that learning in.  Take a walk at lunch time, if you have too skip a Technical Session, then do so.  You will benefit from it.  Better than finding yourself nodding off in a afternoon technical session.

There are going to be 5000+ people at the event!  At times all in one hall!  Most in the previous day or two, have been contained in the confines of plane fuselage for some hours on end! (for some of us, more than a few hours)  They’ve passed through airports, been in taxis, on public transport and are now staying in motels!   They have travelled long hours, had late nights, are run down and who knows what they may be harbouring!  

Bring a small personal bottle of Hand Sanitizer.  Get the good stuff containing ethyl alcohol, use it regularly, don’t have your “World” or the week or so afterwards ruined by some virus not of your own making.

“The Playground”

You can never spend enough time in the 3DEXPERIENCE Playground! It will be crowded in there at time. You will find that Food & Beverages make an appearance in the afternoon or early evening! Don’t be afraid to skip a Technical Session and spend that time in the Partner Pavilion, it will be quieter which will give you a better change to speak to people.
There are also a number of presentation at the Certified Partner Theatre so have a look at the schedule!

There by yourself! Don’t be concerned about lunch seating. If you have a table to yourself, someone will ask to join you! If you don’t see a free table, look around for a vacant seat, Ask can you join them. Put out your hand, introduce yourself. Everyone has a story, everyone loves to talk shop, everyone will want to know your story. It’s amazing the people you meet, the work that they do and what they do with SOLIDWORKS!
So bring plenty of Business Cards. This event is about making connections! Don’t miss an opportunity!

Saturday 22nd February 2025 CAD Monkey

If you are in early & want to meet those in the know (and the SOLIDWORKS community) then consider the CAD Monkey Dinner

“What began as a small intimate gathering between a few hard-core SOLIDWORKS nerds in 2012 has since exploded into a can’t-miss event that has welcomed executives, power-users, bloggers, user group leaders, and the biggest names in the SOLIDWORKS community, who have been taking in the city’s sights and tastes before the main event gets underway. Saturday night’s CAD Monkey Dinner is an event where far-flung friends can get together to check in, catch up, and celebrate another year at our favorite nerd convention!“

Lace up your cleats for the Biggest CAD Monkey Dinner ever, where the SolidWorks community comes together for an unforgettable night of fun, networking, and camaraderie!

Join us on Saturday, February 22, 2025 as we descend upon Pitch 25, a dynamic venue just steps from the George R. Brown Convention Center. This exciting venue is the perfect spot for dozens of CAD Monkeys to kick off an incredible week of learning and fun. Pitch 25 features a flexible indoor/outdoor space crammed with tons of activities, including:

Lawn Games: Relax and enjoy some friendly competition with classic lawn games.
Indoor Soccer Pitch: Lace up your cleats for games of football, dodge ball, and even thrilling bubble soccer!

Axe Throwing: Test your aim and challenge your friends to a friendly competition.

Vintage Arcade Games: Relive your childhood with classic arcade games.

Karaoke Stage: Unleash your inner rock star and belt out your favourite tunes.

Big Screens: Enjoy live sports, presentations, and community updates.

As always I’m looking forward to the event, catching up with friends and making a few additional ones. If you see me around, please introduce yourself. As always World can’t come around soon enough.