If your business is in the Washington area, you’ve no doubt been solicited to attend what seems like an endless collection of summits, conferences, symposiums, and panel discussions. All too often, participants wander out of these cumbersome meetings feeling that it was a waste of time.

This frustration is common and it stems from the simple fact that you weren’t part of the planning. The speakers, topics, and itinerary for most of these events were created months in advance without your input.

The New New Internet is looking to turn this process on its head by developing a conference created solely by the Washington-area’s business leaders.

One of the most important aspects in any Web 2.0 application is the ability to harness the wisdom of the crowds: the collective knowledge inherent in a particular audience. We thought we’d put this theory to the test as we hold a series of dynamic focus groups that have allowed the wisdom of crowds to help shape and design the upcoming Web 2.0 for Business Conference on November 1st, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency in Reston, VA.

We have actively involved local contacts from Microsoft, Google, AOL, Citizant, Lockheed Martin, The Washington Post Company, and a whole host of other businesses. The feedback and suggestions for topics we’ve received from these folks has been invaluable.

Keep an eye on our event page as the subject matter is refined and speakers are booked.

Employing the Wisdom of Crowds means we need to hear from you too! Be sure to add your suggestions for web 2.0 topic ideas to this blog posting. Your input, along with the stellar line up of speakers, will make this event the place to be for the area’s top business executives, web innovators, and social media professionals.

For this week’s e-magazine, we interviewed TW Scott, CEO of Raytheon’s Intelligence and Information Systems Division.  We covered a lot of information, including:

• TW’s biggest challenge
• His approach to differentiation
• The hot trends they are tracking, including Web 2.0
• Their level of attention to merger and acquisition activities
• What his business unit will look like in three years
• How a small business CEO can work with Raytheon

Click here to read our complete interview with TW.

Ted Leonsis, Washington Capitals owner and Vice Chairman of America Online, Inc has agreed to be the keynote speaker at New New Internet’s Web 2.0 for Business Conference this November.

Ted doesn’t just give lip service to social media tools like blogging. He lives and breathes Web 2.0. His blog, Ted’s Take, is a perfect example of how blogging should be practiced.

There are many C-level bloggers out there and more joining the conversation everyday. All too often these blogs are simply reworked press releases or stale talking points. The content on Ted’s blog is an honest look inside AOL, the Washington Capitals, or whatever else is on his mind. There’s a steady flow of continuously updated content that’s interesting, honest, and engaging. It’s refreshing to get such a transparent perspective and it’s something that can really only be achieved through blogging.

Here’s Ted on why he started his blog:

“A blog can be entertaining, it can be informational, and it can be enlightening. But the most important part of a blog is that it can be activating. It allows others to look at your thoughts and follow your life and then launch their own ideas, comments and perspectives on what you’ve seen and done.”

That spirit of online collaboration is what makes his blog so popular and why we’re thrilled to have such a social media expert join us for the New New Internet, Web 2.0 for Business Conference. Click here to register and be sure to post your comments on Ted Leonsis or any of your favorite blogging experts in the Washington D.C. area.

We had 20+ people get together at the Tower Club in Tysons Corner this morning for a discussion about Web 2.0 for business and govenment.  The context was in planning for the New New Internet conference scheduled for November 1st in Reston, VA.

The talk was really interesting.  There were a number of good ideas kicked around regarding speakers and panel topics.  There is clearly more to cover than we could possibly account for in one day, but one thing is for sure: the conference will be of great interest to a number of business people in the Washington region and beyond.

Keep and eye on the conference web site for updates on speakers, sponsors, and more.