Harry Pierson called it out a few weeks back http://devhawk.net/2006/02/09/SPARK+Is+Out+Of+The+Bag.aspx

What is it?

SPARK is the first in a series of high-level forums hosted by Microsoft that use a workshop setting to examine “the issues that matter most” in the practice of strategic architecture and produce guidance for the industry as a whole.

Today, new social movements, advances in technology, and forces within business are overlapping to create a landscape glutted with challenges and opportunities. In many cases, these forces have driven the deployment of new technologies and the adoption of new behaviors, adding multiple layers to an already complex set of issues that must be navigated. Architects are searching for a solution that helps manage this complexity.

SOA, Software as a Service, Web 2.0, and Edge are all elements of the solution, but are they the complete picture? Are they a sufficient answer to the issues?  Can they be used together in a productive and efficient fashion? What matters most?

We are hosting SPARK the weekend prior to MIX in Las Vegas.

We have an eclectic invite list. I am really looking forward to the forum - it is a going to be an excellent discussion I am sure - but the key for me is making the output actionable.