Team cohesion in a Working From Home environment

Everyone who is in the industry long enough, will be called the senior developer. And from senior developers people expect more. You need to show leadership skills and you are more less made responsible for keeping the team healthy and happy.
How do you do that in a world where people don't see each other every day? Or not even see each other at all?
In this session, Dennis shares his experiences in keeping a team together while being in different cities, countries or even continents and timezones. Technology is easy, the human side is harder.

So make sure to check out this session and learn how to keep your teammembes happy and productive!

The Blind Leading the Blind: Managing People When You Have No Idea What You're Doing

Managing people is hard enough, but it's even harder when you're clueless. Trust me,I know what I am talking about!

If you feel like a deer in headlights, you're not alone. In this talk, I'll give you some practical tips and tricks to help you fake it 'til you make it as a manager. I will cover the do's and don'ts of managing people, like listening to your team (even if they're speaking a different language) and setting clear expectations (so your team doesn't think you're speaking a different language). Also, I will discuss how to overcome "imposter syndrome" and adopt a growth mindset (so you can fake it even better next time).

Whether you're a new manager or just looking to improve your leadership skills, this talk will give you the confidence and humor you need to lead your team with style (even if your style is more "accidental leader" than "natural born boss").

Join Dennis for a fun and informative session that will make you laugh, learn, and leave feeling like the blind leading the blind isn't such a bad thing after all!

From 'Noob' to 'Boss': Lessons Learned in My First 100 Days as a Dev Team Leader

Becoming a team leader can be an exciting yet daunting challenge. The first 100 days are crucial in setting the tone for your leadership style and establishing a positive work culture. In this talk, I will share my experience of leading a development team for the first time and the valuable lessons I learned during my first 100 days.

I'll cover topics such as getting to know your team members, defining goals and expectations, empowering your team, and building a positive work culture. Along the way, I'll share stories of successes and failures and provide practical tips and advice for new team leaders. Whether you're a seasoned developer looking to transition into a leadership role or a new team leader seeking guidance, this talk will inspire and equip you to lead with passion and purpose.

Unicorns, Jenga, and Grandma: A Developer's Guide to Enterprise Architecture

Have you ever inherited a codebase that looks like a group of five-year-olds wrote it? Do you find yourself adding more and more code without any plan, until the whole thing collapses like a game of Jenga? Have you ever considered involving your CEO's grandma in your software development process? If so, this talk is for you!

Join Dennis as we explore the weird and wonderful world of enterprise architecture. We'll start by defining it in terms that even your grandma can understand (but probably won't). Then, we'll explain why it's vital to ensure all the rooms in your software "house" are appropriately connected, and why unicorns are an essential part of the process.

But wait, there's more! We'll also share some practical tips for doing enterprise architecture right, like involving all the stakeholders (even the ones who don't know what an API is) and why you should always have a plan before adding new code.

So come for the unicorns, stay for the Jenga, and leave with a newfound appreciation for the magical world of enterprise architecture. Your code (and your grandma) will thank you.

Navigating the Labyrinth of Explainable AI: Ethical Implications and Practical Steps

More and more decisions these days are taken by AI based systems. Or at least they are influenced by AI. In a world increasingly driven by artificial intelligence, the importance of making these systems transparent and understandable cannot be overstated. In this enlightening session we'll delve into the fascinating and crucial realm of Explainable AI (XAI).
This session promises a exploration of XAI - its definition, its importance, and the methods to achieve it.
We will demystify the often-complex theories behind XAI and bring them down to a practical level, exploring how to create AI models that are not only performant but also understandable and accountable. Interlacing theory with real-world scenarios, we'll also demonstrate what happens when AI goes wrong due to a lack of explainability, emphasizing the need for transparent algorithms.
A significant portion of this session will be dedicated to the ethical considerations of AI. We'll delve into how the ethical use of AI intertwines with explainability, underscoring the imperative that as we develop increasingly advanced AI systems, we do so with a keen eye on the ethical implications.
Join Dennis in this illuminating journey into the heart of XAI. Leave equipped with a renewed perspective on the importance of explainability in AI, a solid understanding of how to implement it, and the insight to navigate the ethical landscape that accompanies these powerful technologies. And have some fun as well!

Break the speed limits: optimize your C# Code!

Computers are fast these days. But if you have a system that requires extremely fast processing times because you are handling thousands of requests simultaneously, you might not be satisfied with the speed the hardware gives you.
If that is the case, you need to optimize your code while maintaining readability.
Does that sound interesting? Then join Dennis for this session, where he will highlight the top 10 tips for making your C# applications blazingly fast. We will dive into the inner workings of the BCL, look at what the CLR does for you, talk about how to work intelligently with the garbage collector and other things.

So, if speed is your thing, then buckle up and join us!

Born to run: build the ultimate playlist with Generative AI and Semantic Kernel!

Generative AI is cool. Sure. But it is also limited. LLMs' power shines through if you combine their knowledge with your Generative AI, which is impressive. Astonishing. Almost magical. But, much like a GPS that insists you drive into a lake, it has limitations. The real magic happens when you combine AI's knowledge with your systems, giving it just enough guidance to be helpful without it going all HAL 9000 on you.

Enter Semantic Kernel, a way to make AI sound smart and actually be smart by calling on the world for answers when it gets confused. Think of it as a polite Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, but for your data.

So, how does this help you? Simple. AI is going to help us generate the ultimate Spotify playlist, one that perfectly matches our mood, whether we’re pounding the pavement like Springsteen or just lounging on the couch contemplating the meaning of life (and whether 42 really is the answer).

This session is mostly live coding, which means we’ll be building this system on stage, in real-time, with all the suspense of a Monty Python sketch, except with fewer Spanish Inquisitions and more AI magic. So, whether you came here to learn about AI or just want an excuse to listen to better music, this is your stop. existing systems.

Semantic Kernel is a great way to make that happen. But what does all this mumbo-jumbo mean?

In essence, it is simple: AI does what it can do, and as soon as it gets confused, it calls on the world for answers.

That gives us a nice hook to achieve what we want to achieve: generate a Spotify Playlist that matches our mood, which we can listen to while we run or while we relax on the couch, whatever tickles your fancy.

This session is mostly code, where we will build most of this system live on stage. So that's already a great way to get your heartbeat in higher gear!

Can of course also be done in Dutch,