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Speaker

Barret Blake

Barret Blake

#MicrosoftMVP, speaker, husband, father, solutions architect, manager, developer, gamer, Buckeyes fan, model railroader

Columbus, Ohio, United States

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Microsoft MVP, husband, father, speaker, mentor, writer, solutions architect, manager, developer, gamer, Buckeyes fan, model railroader, board member of JavaScript & Friends conference. When I'm not doing all that other stuff I also occasionally develop applications. Find links to my previous speaking, podcasts and sessions at my website: https://barretblake.dev

Awards

Area of Expertise

  • Business & Management
  • Information & Communications Technology

Topics

  • Microsoft Flow
  • Microsoft Azure
  • .NET
  • SQL
  • csharp
  • Power Apps
  • Power Automate (Flow)
  • JavaScript
  • AngularJS
  • Vue Js
  • Dynamics 365
  • Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations
  • Flow
  • c#

Shall We Play A Game?

The history of science fiction is the history of AI technology gone wrong. Almost from the very beginning, stories of AI going rogue have filled the pages of books and screens large and small. In recent years, stories of ChatGPT and other AI bots turning bad or getting manipulated have filled our news feeds.

Now, with tools like Microsoft's Copilot Studio, it's easier than ever for people to create their own AI companions. How can we keep our creations from going on a racist rampage or from promising to sell cars for $1?

Join me as I talk through some AI pitfalls and ways you can fortify your AI to help reduce the odds of it trying to start World War III.

Revolutionizing Business Processes with Power Automate RPA

We all have to deal with them, those legacy desktop applications that are too important to get rid of, but not important enough to replace, the kind of application where someone has to open it up and click a few buttons a couple times a day.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is transforming the way businesses operate, letting us automate those ridiculous legacy app processes. And Power Automate RPA is at the forefront of this revolution. In this talk, we'll explore the features and capabilities of Power Automate RPA and show how it can be used to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks with those legacy applications. From automating legacy applications, to reducing errors, to increasing efficiency, we'll cover the benefits of RPA and demonstrate how Power Automate RPA can be used to improve business processes.

Whether you're a business leader, IT professional, or developer, this talk will provide valuable insights and best practices for leveraging Power Automate RPA to drive innovation and growth in your organization.

Moving Massive Mountains of Magnificent Data

Data over here. Data over there. These days there are massive piles of data everywhere. Companies use many different systems. Those systems need to interact and share data to be useful. But how to get that data from place to place? Most of the time, what's built in to these various systems doesn't make it easy to move that data between them. Enter ETL. ETL stands for "extract, transform, load". ETL systems make it easier to move and manipulate large amounts of data between various systems. Using examples from Azure Data Factory, we'll gain an understanding of how ETL systems can make these complex interactions easier.

Effective Application Logging for Maximum Success

Writing info to the console is fine, for a little while. Once your app reaches a certain stage, those print/writeline statements no longer do the job. Even before your app achieves that MVP state, you must ensure that it has effective logging in place.

Logs play a crucial role in the application development and support process. Effective logs can mean the difference between a quick 30-minute hotfix and hours or days of production downtime tracking down a problem.

In this session, we'll talk through strategies for effective application logging and demonstrate some of the tools available to help you achieve maximum success in tracking, tracing, and fixing your applications.

Finding Your Next Developer Job: A Guide to Navigating the Job Market

You never know when you'll find yourself needing to find a new position. And finding the right developer role can be challenging, especially in uncertain times when the market is suddenly filled with thousands of workers all looking for a position. In this talk, we will learn tips and strategies for finding your next developer job. This talk will cover effective job search strategies, how to showcase your skills and experiences, networking, preparing a strong resume, and what to look for in a potential employer. We will talk about the current job market's impact on the industry and how to gather the information you need and use it to your advantage. This talk is targeted at both entry-level and experienced developers and aims to provide you with a roadmap to guide your next job search.

The Low Code Revolution: Transforming the Way We Build Software

Low-code platforms are revolutionizing the way software is developed. It enables organizations to build and deploy applications faster and with less effort. In this talk, we'll examine the benefits and limitations of a low-code approach to software development and how it is changing the face of the industry.

Whether you're a developer, analyst, or IT professional, this talk will provide valuable insights into the future of software development and how you can take advantage of the low-code movement to empower your next project and drive innovation and growth in your organization.

A Hands-On Overview to Building AI Solutions with AI Builder

Whether it's generating automated interactive chat experiences or automating business processes, AI is the future of business software. AI Builder is a powerful tool for organizations looking to incorporate the power of AI into their business processes.

In this talk, we'll explore the key features and capabilities of Power Automate's AI Builder and demonstrate how it can be used to build and deploy AI models quickly and easily. From automating tedious tasks to enhancing customer experiences, we'll examine the various use cases for AI Builder and show how it can help organizations drive innovation and growth. Whether you're new to AI or looking to expand your knowledge, this talk will provide valuable insights and best practices for using AI Builder to unlock the full potential of artificial intelligence to automate your work processes.

Soft Skills for Developers: The Key to Success in Tech

As technology and the modern work environment evolve, the importance of soft skills for developers is growing. In this talk, we'll explore the critical soft skills that every developer needs to succeed in today's dynamic workplace. From effective communication and problem-solving to collaboration and organizational skills, we'll discuss how to cultivate the critical skills required to build relationships with co-workers, leaders, and clients. Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting in your tech career path, this talk will provide practical insights and advice to help you develop the soft skills that matter most to help you grow, survive, and thrive in the modern tech industry.

It's Time To Give Entity Framework Core Another Look

Entity Framework has faced its share of criticism over the years, and a lot of it was warranted. However, Entity Framework Core represents a significant evolution from its predecessor. It’s time to reconsider EF and discover its transformative potential.

In this session, we’ll explore how EF Core redefines what an ORM can be and delve into its key features that can enhance your .NET development experience. Join us to learn how EF Core can streamline your coding, boost productivity, and ultimately make your development process more efficient and enjoyable.

.NET Aspire: A New Paradigm in Enterprise Web Applications

Setting up and handling intricate, multifaceted, and distributed applications often feels like a daunting challenge. The arduous task of aligning all these diverse interconnected elements to communicate seamlessly can demand days, if not weeks, of meticulous fine-tuning and effort.

Enter .NET Aspire. Recently launched to General Availability, .NET Aspire presents a cloud-ready framework--offering orchestration, components, and tools--to swiftly and effortlessly assemble distributed applications. By abstracting the intricate details, .NET Aspire simplifies the integration of web interfaces, data sources, APIs, messaging systems, caching mechanisms, and other components, with minimal exertion on your end.

During this presentation, we will delve into the fundamentals of .NET Aspire, discussing its functionality, and taking a step-by-step walkthrough on how you can swiftly establish the foundational framework of your distributed application within mere minutes.

Tales From The Trenches: Leading A Dev Team Is Hard

Let's face it, being a leader is tough. Whether it's wrangling the complexities of projects large and small, keeping your team members on task and their skills sharp, ensuring your clients are happy, or balancing all that with keeping your own boss happy, there's a lot on your plate.

In this session, using real-world examples from my own 20+ years of leadership experience in and out of tech, we'll delve into common hurdles such as maintaining morale, managing conflicting priorities, dealing with HR issues, and more, all while making sure you're keeping in line with your organizational goals.

So join me as we discuss practical strategies for overcoming these challenges to ensure the growth and success of your own development team.

CodeMash 2024 Sessionize Event

January 2024 Sandusky, Ohio, United States

Festive Tech Calendar 2023 Sessionize Event

December 2023

SciFiDevConMayTheFourthEvent 2023 Sessionize Event

May 2023

Festive Tech Calendar 2022 Sessionize Event

December 2022

Azure Back to School 2022 Sessionize Event

September 2022

JavaScript & Friends 2022

July 2022 Columbus, Ohio, United States

CodeMash 2022 Sessionize Event

January 2022 Sandusky, Ohio, United States

Summit NA 2021

October 2021 Houston, Texas, United States

Summit NA 2020

October 2020 Orlando, Florida, United States

Barret Blake

#MicrosoftMVP, speaker, husband, father, solutions architect, manager, developer, gamer, Buckeyes fan, model railroader

Columbus, Ohio, United States

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