Connections UK 2016: Programme details

I have now downloaded a copy of the Connections UK 2016 Programme, and it looks like this:

Day 1: Tuesday 6th September

• 9.00am – 09.30am: Arrivals and coffee.
• 9.30am – 09.40am: Welcome and introduction.
• 9.40am – 5.10pm: Megagame – ‘War in Binni’. (Breaks for drinks at 11.30am and 4.45pm, and for lunch from 1.00pm to 2.00pm.)
• 5.10pm – 6.00pm: Megagame After Action Review. How the game could be improved.

Day 2: Wednesday 7th September

• 9.00am – 09.20am: Arrivals and coffee.
• 9.20am – 09.30am: Welcome and introduction.
• 9.30am – 11.00am: Plenary 1: The psychology of successful wargames.
• 11.00am – 11.30am: Drinks break.
• 11.30am – Midday: Games Fair briefing.
• Midday – 1.00pm: Lunch.
• 1.00pm – 2.15pm: Plenary 2: Non-combat (non-map and counter) wargames.
• 2.30pm – 5.00pm: Games Fair Session 1. (Break for drinks at 4.00pm).
• 5.00pm – 6.00pm: Keynote address: Advancing and Expanding the Craft of Wargaming: Ten (Not Entirely Randomly-Generated) Reflections on Wargaming.
• 6.00pm – 7.00pm: Supper.
• 7.00pm onwards: Games Fair Session 2.

Day 3: Thursday 8th September

• 8.45am – 09.00am: Arrivals and coffee.
• 9.00am – 10.00am: Plenary 3: Computer simulations and technology.
• 10.00am – 10.45am: Plenary 4: Strategic Gaming.
• 10.45am – 11.15am: Drinks break.
• 11.15am – 12.30pm: Plenary 4: Successful real-world wargames.
• 12.30pm – 1.15pm: Lunch
• 1.15pm – 2.35pm: Plenary 5: Wargaming Innovations.
• 2.40pm – 2.50pm Breakout introduction: How might we institutionalise wargaming and build the wargaming capacity?
• 2.50pm – 3.00pm: Drinks break.
• 3.00pm – 3.45pm: Breakout Facilitated syndicates for:
• Serving ‘front line’ personnel;
• Defence Science & Technology;
• Education and Training;
• Connections (global);
• Historical Analysis/Conflict Research;
• Academia;
• Industry;
• Game designers/hobby gamers.
• 3.45pm – 4.30pm: Breakout back briefs and discussion.
• 4.30pm – 4.45pm: Closing remarks.

I have booked my place at this year's conference, and I am looking forward to attending it. As it tends to be quite 'hands on' and not like many of the 'Death by PowerPoint' conferences that I used to attend before I retired, I know that I will come away from it with lots to think about.