If you’re planning your conference calendar for 2026, you’re probably looking at all the options: ServiceNow Knowledge, Atlassian Team, Pink Elephant, Gartner IT Symposium or HDI Service & Support World.
They all promise learning, networking and insights. But they’re not interchangeable. Understanding what drives each event helps you pick the one that serves your goals.
Before you click “Register Here,” ask yourself: Who's running the show, and why?
Some conferences exist to showcase a specific product or sell consulting services. Others are designed to bring together an entire industry, without favoring any single vendor or methodology.
That distinction shapes everything. It informs which topics get covered, which speakers get selected and whether you’ll hear the full story (or just the highlights that make someone’s product look good).
“Not all product-focused or consulting-led events are bad,” says Tony North. “I go to several each year and they serve a purpose. But if you need unbiased insights that cover the whole ITSM landscape, you need to go to an event designed for that. That’s why I’ve been going to HDI conferences for 20+ years.”
3 Conference Types to Explore
So many options! Let’s take a look:
User Group Conferences
User conferences are built around a single platform. You’ll learn about specific modules, roadmap previews and case studies from customers using that tool. If you’re already committed to that ecosystem and want to maximize your investment, these events deliver.
But remember…user conferences are designed to make their software shine. Topics that expose weaknesses or require third-party solutions often don’t make the agenda.
“I’ve attended many different shows the past few years, but I enjoyed the breakout sessions at HDI the most due to the more varied nature of speakers and topics,” notes one IT conference enthusiast. ‘’Some of the user conferences focused too heavily on their own presenters and topics.”
Conferences by Consulting Firms
Some consulting firms positions themselves as “ITSM thought leaders,” but it’s important to understand why they do this. These events are designed to sell their consulting services and integrated ITSM training curriculum. You’ll only get content that focuses on the firm’s best practices, processes and client case studies.
These aren’t community-driven events. It’s a lead generation vehicle for a consulting business.
“When you attend a consulting conference, you’re hearing one perspective on how to solve problems,” says Liz Bunger. “It’s often framed in ways that lead back to their services. I don’t feel that way at HDI. My team returns armed with solutions that we can implement immediately.”
HDI Service and Support World
We saved the best for last.
HDI Service & Support World takes a different approach: vendor-neutral and unbiased. The event brings together the entire ITSM and support ecosystem. You’ll meet practitioners, solution providers, consultants and industry experts. We don’t favor any single vendor, tool or methodology.
That neutrality matters. You hear from peers who’ve implemented different platforms, tried different frameworks and learned different lessons. You’re not limited to success stories curated by a vendor’s marketing team. You get the full picture: what worked, what didn’t and why.
Here’s what our attendees said about last year’s conference:
- "It's our can't miss event every year. We always expect a return on our investment, and we believe that we have about a 2:1 payback in 30 days after this conference. We achieve this by becoming more productive and competitive."
- "The interactions with peers and the presenters who understood and are going through the same issues as we face were amazing."
- "Great conference and connecting with the community and sharing on new trends and insights. The keynote speakers were awesome, and you can tell how passionate everyone was who attended."
Your Conference Checklist
Let’s break it down:
- Are you trying to maximize a specific platform you’ve already invested in? Go to a user conference.
- Want to partner with a consulting firm? Their conferences will give you a preview of what you can expect as a client.
But do you want to understand the full ITSM landscape? You need an event designed for practitioners, by practitioners. That’s what vendor-neutral means. And that’s what separates HDI Service & Support World from the rest. We hope you’ll join us, May 3-7 in Las Vegas.