Event Report: DTX 360
A Batmobile (!?) and pictures of our Sherelle Fairweather who spoke during the conference!
In May 2024, we attended DTX 360, where Sherelle and other speakers discussed the importance of well-being for innovation. The Digital Transformation EXPO (DTX) Manchester is the North's largest enterprise IT and technology event, focusing on the latest advancements in cloud computing, infrastructure, data management, DevOps, and cybersecurity.
The event offers a comprehensive platform for IT decision-makers, digital leaders, and technology professionals to explore innovative solutions, engage in peer-to-peer networking, and gain insights from industry experts.
This year, we spent our bank holiday weekend with tech talks, the Batmobile*, & an interview with Britain’s leading illusionist.
These are a few highlights from the day:
Emma-Louise Fusari RGN, Aesha Zafar, & Digital Strategy Lead Sherelle Fairweather discussed the importance of well-being for innovation in a panel discussion facilitated by Amelia Bampton.
Despite the profound impact of wellbeing in our lives, it often fails to receive deserved gravity & respect. To see a discussion centred around wellbeing foregrounded on the main stage at one of the North’s highest-profile events marks a refreshing shift towards recognising the vital role of wellbeing in fostering creativity, innovation, & sustainable success in our working lives.
What measures should we be championing to ensure that people are happy at work & talent is retained? While there is no one ‘fix-all’, supporting the development of interpersonal skills; emphasising agency & autonomy; creating an environment where vulnerability is welcomed; & providing training & support for managers - alongside time within roles to incorporate management responsibilities – could all help to create more positive outcomes for businesses & people.
After spending Thursday morning watching an interview with the inimitable Derren Brown – as hosted by our very own Digital Strategy Lead Sherelle Fairweather – there’s no competition for our stand-out moment. While we may have mischievously hoped for a few adventures in on-stage hypnotism, Sherelle and Derren’s talk exploring resilience, burnout, & our pursuit of the often-intangible concept of “happiness” left us with plenty of food for thought!
Bouncing between the philosophy of Stoicism; the power of internal and external narratives in shaping our sense of self; & the difference between the pursuit of goals & the pursuit of purpose; the interview raised powerful questions about how we are served by our beliefs & the stories we tell ourselves.
As humans, we have no way to exert control over every event that happens in our lives. Derren’s belief in striving for a full acceptance of the things we have no power to control could enable us to relinquish our anxiety & stress. How might changing our mindset shift our perception of failure & success?
The true impact of an event is often demonstrated in the discussion it provokes, & DTX’s talks kept us deep in conversation long after we’d had left.
To conclude, we'll leave you with a single question - from Derren's talk - that has since kept us occupied:
If everyone disappeared one day, what wouldn't you bother with?
(*And yes, for our fellow Nolan nerds, we’re aware that the technical term is Bat-Tumbler 😉).
