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NETWORK / 21 / NOVEMBER 2016 A key requirement for projects awarded funding through the NIC and NIA is that the ndings are shared. This is primarily ful lled by ling nal reports on the Smarter Networks Portal, and through sessions held by individual companies when projects come to a close. However, the annual LCNI conference provides the oppor- tunity to catch-up on projects that are under way and to gain insights into the state of innovation as it is happening. During the three days of this year's event, I attended not only the keynote pres- entations but also a full schedule of work- shops and spoke to many of the exhibitors on the ƒ oor. On day one, Ofgem chief execu- tive Dermot Nolan said network operators should not be too quick to pat themselves on the back, because the regulator's fund- ing has only stimulated innovation to move from a "low" base to a "moderate" one. Which projects and technologies stood out at the LCNI? Lucinda Dann reports on her three days in Manchester From the fl oor LCNI REVIEW From my experience at the conference, Nolan's words ring true. Many of the pres- entations felt lacklustre, and did not strike a balance between including necessary detail and being accessible to members of the audience who could, and probably should, come from various sectors. But there were highlights. Wales and West Utility's interactions with customers on their preferred solutions to energy dilem- mas produced real food for thought, and SP Energy Networks' use of digital visualisa- tions shows how technology developed for one use – gaming – can be put to work in a more practical context. It was the companies whose technology underpins many of the projects who showed genuine excitement about the projects they have roles in, and a readiness to engage oth- ers in talking about the work. The range of technology being incorporated into network