Empowering success with an insightful Sitecore user group at Sagittarius HQ

We were thrilled to host a recent Sitecore User Group (SUG) at our Shoreditch headquarters in London. This dynamic gathering of Sitecore professionals and enthusiasts explored the latest innovations in XM Cloud and Content Hub, providing a vibrant platform for knowledge exchange and community connection.

The Sitecore User Group was specifically designed for Sitecore professionals involved in delivery, implementation, and optimisation projects. The event drew developers, project managers, consultants, and marketers, providing the perfect space to learn from each other’s experiences. 

Adding Value for the Sitecore Community:

The primary aim of the Sitecore User Group was to create an open forum where Sitecore professionals could come together to exchange ideas, share experiences, and learn from one another. Sagittarius has long been committed to fostering a strong Sitecore community, and this event was a testament to that commitment.

By focusing on the practical aspects of XM Cloud and Content Hub, the event sought to address some of the most pressing challenges that Sitecore professionals face today. The goal was not only to educate attendees but also to empower them to implement these tools more effectively in their own projects. Whether it was through sharing best practices, discussing common pitfalls, or exploring new features, the event provided a wealth of knowledge that attendees could take back to their teams.

An implementation journey

There were four key sessions throughout the evening:

1. XM Cloud: An Implementor’s Perspective

Robert McGovern, Sitecore Optimisation Consultant at Sagittarius, and three-time Sitecore Strategy MVP,  provided an overview of lessons learned from implementing XM Cloud, highlighting its flexibility and scalability. His insights emphasised the importance of understanding XM Cloud’s unique aspects before embarking on a migration from XP to XM Cloud.

2. Critical Lessons Learned from XM Cloud

Dan Vella, Director of Professional Services at Sitecore shared his experiences with XM Cloud, discussing common challenges and effective solutions. His talk included Sitecore’s best practices for XM Cloud deployments, offering a strategic framework for attendees.

3. Content Hub: Features for Marketers

Peter Clisby, Sitecore Technology MVP,  explored Content Hub’s features from a marketer’s perspective, including its Digital Asset Management (DAM) and Content Marketing Platform (CMP) modules. He demonstrated how Content Hub supports streamlined content operations beyond just a media library.

4. Q&A and Open Discussion

Nick Towers, CEO of Remarkable Group concluded the event with an interactive Q&A session, where attendees discussed content migration, the transition from Experience Editor to Pages, and multi-site implementations. This session helped bring the Sitecore community together to address specific challenges and gather insights from various perspectives.

The Key Takeaways:

The SUG highlighted several positive advancements and shared insights on key topics. 

Content migration, though complex, benefits from structured approaches and flexible planning, leading to more successful outcomes. 

• With XM Cloud being relatively new, attendees emphasised the importance of robust support for developers and the value of sharing experiences to streamline the transition. 
• The discussion on moving from Experience Editor to Pages in XM Cloud underscored the need for clear communication about future integrations, which will help content editors adapt smoothly. 
• For multi-site and multi-language implementations, attendees appreciated the practical strategies shared, whether using separate site nodes or a single global node. 
• While transitioning from XP to XM Cloud, the group explored innovative ways to maintain personalisation capabilities, finding that Sitecore Personalize offers promising options to enhance XM Cloud’s features.

The Evening provided invaluable insights and fostered a spirit of collaboration within the Sitecore community. The event not only addressed the technical challenges of working with XM Cloud and Content Hub but also created a space for professionals to share their experiences and learn from one another. For anyone involved in Sitecore projects, the knowledge and connections gained from this event are sure to be invaluable.

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