Forrester Research, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORR) today announced that the GigaWorld IT Forum, ending today in Dallas, attracted nearly 900 attendees — the largest number in the Event’s nine-year history. IT and business executives received advice about how to gain and maintain a competitive edge through innovation, flexible business processes and technologies, and new ways to collaborate with customers.

In addition to more than 100 general sessions offered over four days, attendees participated in nearly 900 one-on-one meetings with the 77 analysts on-site and in small group Executive Exchanges, roundtable discussions moderated by a Forrester analyst. The Event also enabled members of the Forrester Oval Program™ to network with their peers and attend exclusive sessions for Oval’s CIO Group, Analyst Relations & Marketing Council, and four IT Councils.

“The record attendance, coupled with strong sponsorship sales, is an indication that smart IT buyers continue to seek ways to drive new value from their technology investments,” said Charles Rutstein, vice president of Community at Forrester Research. “GigaWorld facilitates rich discussions about how to capitalize on these investments.”

Attendees heard real-world examples of how to achieve visible process improvement, implement utility computing, and build customer intimacy from the following keynotes:

  • Shai Agassi, Executive Board Member, SAP
  • Doug Brown, Vice President, Infrastructure Solutions Marketing, IBM
  • Robert B. Carter, Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer, FedEx
  • Barbara J. Desoer, Chief Technology, Service and Fulfillment Executive, Bank of America
  • Robert Youngjohns, Executive Vice President, Strategic Development and Sun Financing, Sun Microsystems

GigaWorld attendees also previewed new research from Forrester. This year’s Event showcased the Forrester Wave™, an objective methodology that evaluates competing products, services, and suppliers, and clearly ranks vendors. The Waves cover a broad range of technologies, including:

  • Client systems management tools
  • Enterprise eLearning suites
  • Global WAN providers
  • Hosted sales force automation
  • Sarbanes-Oxley compliance solutions
  • Web content management (WCM)

GigaWorld sponsors included Platinum sponsors IBM and Sun Microsystems, in addition to BMC Software, Computer Sciences Corporation, iGATE Global Solutions, EDS, Microsoft, Compuware, Coradiant, Ipsum Networks, PlanView, NEON Systems, n-tara, Nuance Communications, Metallect, Research In Motion, SAP, TeamQuest, and Xerox DocuShare.

Stay tuned for information on next year’s Event at www.forrester.com/events.