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September 6, 2022

AU 2022 Conference Guide

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AU 2022 is almost here. It’s time to get ready for a week of connection, learning, and exploration. Here’s everything you need to know before you get to New Orleans:

 

Location and logistics

AU 2022 will be held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (MCCNO), located along the Mississippi River in Downtown New Orleans. You’ll find details about hotels, restaurants, and tips for exploring the area on our Travel page.

When you get to New Orleans, the first thing to do is check in. You can pick up your AU badge in either the Great Hall Pre-function Lobby or the Hall E Lobby near the Shuttle hub. You can also pick up your AU badge at the MSY Airport at the satellite desk located in the Terminal 1 Baggage Claim. Don’t forget your picture ID.

MSY airport check-in:

  • Sunday, September 25 12:00-8:00 PM CDT
  • Monday, September 26 10:00 AM-6:00 PM CDT

 

Great Hall pre-conference lobby check-in and customer service:

  • Sunday, September 25 4:00-8:00 PM CDT
  • Monday, September 26 7:00 AM-8:00 PM CDT
  • Tuesday, September 27 6:30 AM-8:00 PM CDT
  • Wednesday, September 28 6:30 AM-8:00 PM CDT
  • Thursday, September 29 6:30 AM-7:00 PM CDT

 

Hall E lobby check-in and customer service:

  • Sunday, September 25 4:00-8:00 PM CDT
  • Monday, September 26 7:00 AM-8:00 PM CDT
  • Tuesday, September 27 6:30 AM-8:00 PM CDT

 

General Sessions and industry events

The mainstage events are an essential part of AU and an important way to learn what’s ahead for your industry and discover the technologies that enable you to transform.    

 

Learning sessions

We’ll have more than 450 classes happening at AU 2022 in a range of formats, including industry talks, case studies, technical instruction, panels, product demos, and roundtables. Learn more about the formats.

Q&A and discussion will be an important part of every format this year and will only be available to in-person attendees, so come ready to discuss, and feel free to review handouts ahead of time.

Be sure to register for classes in advance, they are first-come, first-served, and do fill up quickly. If there’s a class you want to take that’s already full, you can bookmark it in the catalog or app and show up at the classroom—empty seats will be given away five minutes before the class starts on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’ve registered for a class and can’t attend, please un-enroll to make your seat available. And if you have a class that conflicts with a General Session or other mainstage event, remember that you can watch those events on-demand on the AU 2022 digital platform after the conference. Note that classes are recorded separately from the in-person session, so the discussion experience is only available at the conference, and you don’t want to miss that.

Connect with your community

We’ll have many opportunities to connect with peers and network with other professionals.

 

The Expo

The Expo is a key part of the AU 2022 conference experience—the place to see and get your hands on the technologies driving transformation in industry. You’ll eat lunch in the Expo each day and it’ll be where you go to unwind over bites and drinks at the end of Day 1 and Day 2. In the Autodesk area, located at the center of the Expo, you can see and explore how some of the most innovative teams in the world are using Autodesk products to reimagine possible.

Need to rest, recharge, or take a meeting? Head to the Community Zone in the Expo. And all around the Expo, you’ll find booths from Autodesk partners, vendors, and customers—get up close and hands-on with emerging technology and find solutions to help transform your business. Be sure to check the booths out.

Leadership Workshops and Theater talks

Leadership Workshops are a new, dynamic experience tailored specifically for leaders to help identify roadblocks in your digital transformation, address shared pain points, and reimagine what’s possible. We want leaders to take what they learn at the conference and implement changes that can help their company move ahead. This new experience at AU 2022 starts with thought-provoking Theater talks and moves into small-group design thinking exercises, followed by group discussion and networking. This year, most Theater talks are integrated into the Leadership Workshops, although there are few independent talks that you can find in the session catalog. This year, most Theater talks are integrated into the Leadership Workshops, but there are a few Theater talks and workshops that will be open to all attendees.

  • Unlocking Your Digital Transformation in Manufacturing—Learn how to create better products, reimagine your value in the market, and transform your manufacturing business with new digital tools and cloud-based approaches.
  • Driving Better Outcomes in Manufacturing with Data—Learn how fluent data exchange and cloud-based storage and processing can help you keep your team connected from concept to delivery and drive better outcomes in product design and manufacturing.
  • Leading Industries to Decarbonize—From construction to manufacturing, transportation to utilities, every industrial sector is stepping up its climate commitments to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050. But change is required both in what we make and how we make it. Learn more about how global partnerships can create positive environmental impact.

 

Connect with Autodesk

We’ll have a range of ways to connect with Autodesk experts both to get your questions answered and to give your input on the future of our products.

  • Product demos are a new session format.  Autodesk product experts will share development plans, product roadmaps, and answer your questions.
  • Feedback Workshops give you the chance to sit down in small groups for facilitated discussions about Autodesk products, topics, and business outcomes.

 

The AU 2022 app

 The AU 2022 app is an important tool for navigating the conference. In addition to maps and wayfinding, it has the full conference agenda—you can register for sessions and activities, manage your schedule, and view class handouts. You can also follow what other attendees are doing in the Activity feed, find and DM other attendees, get breaking news, and provide feedback.

A typical day at AU 2022

If it’s your first time at AU, how you schedule your week is up to you. Keep in mind that breakfast bites are served from 6:30-7:30 AM each morning and classes start at 8:00 AM. There will be a General Session at 11:00 AM on Day 1 and Day 2, as well as other industry and mainstage events throughout Tuesday and Wednesday. Lunch is served in the Expo each day from 12:00-1:00 PM, and at the end of the first two days, you can unwind with food and drinks in the Expo, starting at 5:30 PM. The AU Party is the final night of the conference and runs from 7:00-10:00 PM. It will include food and drinks as well as live music, activities, and entertainment.

Tips for a great conference week

There will be a lot happening at AU 2022, and you’ll be covering a lot of ground over the course of the week. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, stay hydrated, don’t skip meals, get plenty of sleep, and take time to decompress each day (we all will need it). And do what you can to help us meet our sustainability goals by reducing unnecessary waste like disposable water bottles and turning off lights and AC when you leave your hotel room.

Health & safety

Nothing is more important than the safety and wellbeing of our attendees, speakers, and staff. If you have any questions about Security or Health and Safety while at AU 2022, you can find their desk at the MCCNO near the registration area or by emailing AUsafety@autodesk.com.

COVID-19:

  • Vaccination is not required.
  • Masks are recommended, but not required. They will be provided at the Safety and Security desk.
  • Antigen tests will be provided at registration as testing is required to attend.  Testing is required 24 hours before attending your first AU 2022 program. You must also test every 48 hours after. Testing in your hotel room is preferred. Testing is on the honor system—you will not be required to submit your results.  
  • Attendees who test positive for COVID-19 while at the conference will need to isolate in their hotel room. You can find guidelines here and the page will be updated to provide additional information regarding this process.
  • International travelers needing a PCR test to return home will need to make their own testing appointments through a local testing facility from this list or any location of their choosing. PCR testing is not provided at AU 2022.  

 

Safety and Security:

  • In the event of any life-threatening emergency, call 911.
  • For non-emergencies, please contact site security personnel.
  • Secure your mobile devices, personal items, and/or valuables in the hotel room safe when your hotel room is unoccupied.
  • Secure or remove your AU credentials when not in event spaces.
  • Do not leave notebook computers, mobile devices, personal items, or valuables unattended while in the event space.
  • Travel in groups when possible and always be mindful of your surroundings.
  • Use of taxis, Uber, or Lyft is highly recommended during evening hours if not in the immediate vicinity of the hotel.

 

Please report all injuries or incidents that occur on or offsite during your AU 2022 experience by emailing Autodesk Safety and Security. 

It's going to be an incredible week. We can’t wait to see you there.

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