Ovum Master Classes are one-day practically-oriented events that aim to assist IT management in the selection and implementation of key business technologies or IT methods. We describe the key criteria for evaluation products and services, explain the key factors for successful adoption, and equip you with practical advice for deploying the technology in your own organisation.

Understanding the features and functionality available in a technology category, or the best practices in IT management frameworks and methods, can be a time consuming exercise. By attending an Ovum Master Class, you can make significant time savings by getting the key information you need direct from our experienced analyst team, including the opportunity to ask questions relating to your own unique environment. You will also have the opportunity to network with senior IT managers from other organisations, and share experiences for mutual benefit.

Some of our workshops are based on Ovum’s in-depth Technology Evaluation and Comparison reports, and here we will discuss the criteria that we have used in our product rankings, the strengths and weaknesses of the leading vendors and their products, and show you how you can customise the evaluation for your own selection process. Many delegates have commented that this type of session can save them several weeks of effort in creating a Request For Proposal document.

Other workshops are focused on understanding new IT management methods and techniques, and here we will discuss possible approaches to adoption, how to assess maturity, and deliver plenty of practical tips to help make life easier for you. This format often includes practical exercises to assist your learning, and which can be reused internally with your own staff. Again, delegates remark that they have made much faster progress having attended the Ovum workshop and then being able to avoid some of the obvious pitfalls.

All Ovum’s Master Classes are led by Senior Analysts who are experts in their field, and may also include guest speakers with hands-on experience of the topic under consideration. Full workshop materials are provided, either during the course of the day or for download after the event.

The workshops comprise a mix of the following elements:

Formal Presentations – Ovum present the latest research and analysis on the topic under discussion. This enables senior business and IT executives to gain a perspective on how the topic under discussion will impact their own organisations.

Questions and Answers – Each presentation session is followed by an opportunity for delegates to comment on and ask questions about the material covered, often leading to lively debate.

Case Studies – We invite carefully selected senior executives from end-user organisations, or independent domain experts, to present their practical experiences in developing and deploying the strategy or technology under discussion.

Interactive Surveys and Assessments – For some of our workshops, we will invite delegates to complete a survey or interactive assessment tool prior to the event and present the individual and group results during the day.

Networking – An important part of Ovum’s master classes is the opportunity for delegates to network with their peers and to exchange thoughts and experiences on the topic under discussion. This takes place both during group discussions and on a one-to-one or one-to-few basis during breaks.