Hundreds of professionals who design, conduct, analyze, or support primary qualitative research and analysis will make their way to L.A. next week to expand and strengthen skill sets via hands-on collaborative practice, learn from the best in the industry, and refresh their practice with new methodologies, tools, and partners.

Organization: Qualitative Research Consultants Association

Conference: 2017 QRCA Annual Conference

Venue: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. Live

City: Los Angeles

Following demos, lunch, and tradeshow hours, the QRCA Annual Conference opens on Wednesday afternoon with a keynote session. John Boettner, chief enchantment officer at Teen Press, will discuss what the perspective of youth might bring to attendees’ endeavors as researchers—and human beings. Also worth noting:

First-timer friendly. QRCA offers a number of perks for first-time attendees. Among them: a 25 percent discount on their registration and the ability to request an “ambassador.” Before the meeting, first-timers will connect with their assigned ambassador via email. This conference veteran will answer questions about what to expect at the conference, give tips on selecting workshops to attend, and help the newbie make meaningful connections onsite.

Healthy strategy. Thursday and Friday mornings will feature optional hour-long “Healthy Connections: Getting Healthy in Hollywood” exercise sessions. Both mornings will include a scavenger hunt in downtown Los Angeles featuring famous filming locations. Attendees can burn some calories and get fresh air before they get to learning.

In action. After three days of learning, attendees’ heads are sure to be full of great new ideas. However, finding the time, resources, and motivation to implement them can feel daunting and impractical. Speaker Anya Zadrozny will help attendees create an action plan and share proven methods and tools to implement new learnings and maintain their motivation throughout the year.

Find more meeting details on Twitter (#QRCA2017).