CET Designer® wraps second North American User Conference

Nearly 100 CET Designer users and dealers and their respective manufacturers convened at The Venetian/Palazzo in Las Vegas Sept. 30-Oct. 1 for the second annual User Conference. The free two-day learning, brainstorming and networking event was attended by Haworth, Spacefile, Steelcase and Teknion dealers and designers. OFDA was a conference sponsor.

Attendees listen to the opening session at the Configura CET Designer User Conference.

>> View slideshow

“Customer service, support and ongoing training/education are extremely important to Configura,” Configura CEO Johan Lyreborn said. “Our users are our partners. We want to talk with them, work with them, truly learn their needs and gain their feedback so we can make CET their tool of choice.” A variety of sessions were held over a two-day period, including peer-taught sessions led by Configura CET Designer “power users” Maureen Soules, CID, Fluid Interiors; Paul Riches, Heritage Office Furnishings; and Raza Syed, Business Furnishings. “I was really impressed with the whole conference. Getting to hear where CET is going, and the ability to talk with other users, is huge,” said one conference attendee.

Trends and changes in design industry

Joey Shimoda, AIA, founder of Shimoda Design, talked about technology and the relationship between A&D firms and dealerships.

Los Angeles architect Joey Shimoda headlined the User Conference with a keynote presentation on design trends and how technology is bridging the communication gap between A&D firms and dealerships.

“Changing expectations of the workforce are shaping the future of architecture and design,” Shimoda said. “A large percentage of the population is rethinking its values.”

Shimoda shared a recent project for MTV offices in Los Angeles. “Much of their workforce doesn’t need desks. The workplace is migrating to the idea of a living room – brighter, social spaces and increased interaction.”

Breakout sessions with manufacturers

Configura CEO Johan Lyreborn (left) at a Manufacturers’ Roundtable meeting with Steelcase’s Doug Minder and Steve Eriksson.

 Users and their respective manufacturers (Haworth, Spacefile, Steelcase, Teknion) met in breakout sessions to discuss what enhancements they would like to see in the future. These leading office furniture manufacturers made an investment to have their own Extensions (loaded with their product) built around the CET Designer core software program. The manufacturers continually collaborate with their dealers and Configura to keep the software cutting edge and usage rates strong.

The Courage to Change

Software like CET Designer is easy to learn, but it requires a new way of thinking – one that lets go of older ways of working. One of Configura’s User Conference presenters, Brian Bosley, a motivational speaker and trainer, spoke about change.

Brian Bosley presented The Courage to Change at the User Conference. >> Watch the video.

“Change is the true catalyst to all new discoveries, new inventions and breakthroughs, new artistic endeavors and new conquests of the mind,” Bosley said. “But change isn't always easy. It’s a process.”

Humans usually go through three phases of change, Brian explained his talk:

1. Ridicule – they’re laughed at or ignored for changing
2. Opposition - they encounter outright opposition to their change (most “average” people give up on change at this point)
3. Acceptance - the “non-average” bust through to acceptance - self-acceptance of change, and gaining the acceptance of others

Brian challenged attendees to consider: What change stage are you in? “The pain of the change process is temporary. But the pain of regret can last the rest of one’s life,” Brian said.

Winners of the 2009 Awards Program

The culmination of the conference was an Awards Program that honored the best design and specification work in three categories: Best Large Project, Best Rendering and Best Success Story.

Young Office’s Karen Barton garnered the grand prize for Best Large Project, winning a computer, two monitors and a one-year subscription to CET Designer for her firm (Young Office is based in Greenville, SC, and is a Steelcase dealer). Read Karen Barton's story here.

In the Best Rendering contest, the conference attendees voted and the first prize was won by Maureen Soules, CID, Fluid Interiors, Minneapolis, MN (Haworth dealer). Second prize was won by Juan Melendez, RGO Office Products, Calgary, AB (Steelcase dealer). Third place went to Alvin Hernandez, Wittigs Office Interiors, San Antonio, TX (Haworth dealer).

In the category Best Success Story, Pam McClelland, BOS, Chicago, IL, won the first prize. Read McClelland’s story here.

See all the entries here

Configura will hold its third annual conference in the fall of 2010. The destination city location is still being determined.

 Visit the post-conference Web page at www.configura.com/userconference/post