Big conferences take you to Las Vegas, feed you well and feature keynotes in lavish ballrooms. Smaller events may lack the glamour but offer much more camaraderie. The end result is a much more productive use of your time, a more valuable group of new colleagues and a more robust to-do list.

Don't overlook the value of small, regional IT events put on by nonprofit organizations: They offer candid conversations, multidisciplinary sessions and networking opportunities and, in this case, the chance to dig in to agile development.