Knowing why you're going is essential. "Do you want an academic conference," asks Faught, "or one with a more practical focus?" Pracitioners often want something they can take back to the office an put to use immediately, and they may tend to favor (to use industry terms) "commercial" conferences over "academic" ones. Your choice may depend on a range of factors, including your level of expertise--he warns that the workshops that stray the farthest from academia won't always satisfy experienced practitioners.

...In choosing a conference, the best strategy, conference veterans agree, is to do a little research. Conference brochures tend to describe their offerings in the broadest terms possible, cautions Faught, in order to attract big numbers, and sometimes the only way to get a sense of the event is to talk to people who have attended in the past. The Internet can help you with this research, from conference Web sites to discussion groups, such as the comp.software.testing FAQ pages.

...Once you've chosen a conference, there are things you can do in advance to ensure you get the most of it, says Faught. "It never hurts to do a little background reading," he offers, "especially if you're delving into a subject that's new for you."

..."Approach the speakers," suggests Faught, "and seek out people who work on projects similar to yours." A good way to find like-minded people, he says, is to gravitate towards people who attended the same session you did, and move the discussion to a restaurant for lunch or dinner.

...Write a trip report, stresses Faught, even if you manager doesn't ask for one, and do it either during the conference or immediately afterwards while the information is still fresh in your mind.