J.D. Hillen
Software Engineer II @ Garmin
Kansas City, Missouri, United States
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Hailing from the heart of Kansas City’s Silicon Prairie, J.D. Hillen is a Software Engineer II at GPS and wearables company, Garmin. Since the age of 15, he's been fascinated with the connection between creativity and code. His love for all things tech has allowed him to work for a wide variety of advertising agencies, marketing firms and even the craft beer industry. When he’s not coding, you’ll find him spending time with his wife and two boys or in the pit of a metal show.
Area of Expertise
Topics
Data Unleashed: Building Data Visualizations with Vue.js
We all love Vue's reactive system, enabling real-time updates. We also love it's component-based structure, allowing for modular and reusable visual components. Let's put those two pieces together to create dynamic and engaging visualizations.
In this presentation we will explore how Vue.js integrates seamlessly with data visualization libraries such as D3.js and Chart.js, creating dynamic charts and interactive dashboards. Through practical examples, discover how to turn raw data into compelling narratives, enhancing user experiences and enabling more informed decision making.
Take aways
- An short overview of how Vue's reactivity system works.
- An quick overview of Vue's component-based structure.
- Show how to integrate D3.js and Chart.js into Vue.
- Give the attendees the confidence that they can build their own data visualizations.
Vue.js In Motion: Bringing Vue.js to Life with Animation
Embark on a journey into Vue.js animations. This presentation explores the simplicity and flexibility of Vue.js in creating dynamic and visually appealing user interfaces. Gain insights into integrating transitions, custom animations, and external libraries, elevating your web application with engaging motion.
Take Aways
- An overview of how native animations in Vue work.
- Be able to build custom animation components.
- How to integrate 3rd party animation libraries into Vue.
** This talk is different than my Animating Vue with GSAP talk. It focuses more on the native animation capabilities of Vue as opposed to only using GSAP for animations. GSAP will be mentioned but it won't be the primary focus **
Vue.js Globetrotter: Mastering Internationalization for User-Centric Web Applications
Explore the world of "Vue.js and Internationalization (i18n)". In this presentation you will lean practical steps to implementing multilingual features, date formatting, and translations seamlessly with Vue.js, ensuring your web applications are globally accessible and user-friendly. i18n allows your apps to speak the language of your diverse audience effortlessly.
Take Aways
- Learn about what Internationalization (i18n) is
- How to add i18n to your apps with both plugins and a from scratch solution.
- Be able to detect where your user traffic is coming from.
Mastering Vue.js - A Comprehensive Introduction
Join me for a day of hands-on learning, exploring the fundamentals and advanced concepts of the progressive JavaScript framework, Vue.js. In this workshop we will cover all the essentials to getting started with Vue and the Vue ecosystem. We will cover some of the differences between Vue and other popular JavaScript frameworks such as React, Angular, and Svelte. But the best way to learn is by doing so this will be a hands on workshop with code examples and interactive exercises. Spend a day learning why Vue is such a popular option when building an application.
Note: This workshop is designed to be flexible based on the audience's prior knowledge and learning pace. Interactive exercises and hands-on coding sessions will be integrated throughout the workshop for practical understanding.
Level Up: Unleashing the Power of Gamification in Web Experiences
Gamification has significantly transformed the landscape of technology. It has revolutionized how we engage with applications and platforms. By infusing elements of play, competition, and achievement, gamification has captivated users across the world. The impact is evident in shaping a more enjoyable, motivating, and socially connected digital experiences, influencing the way we interact with and derive value from technology in our everyday lives.
In this session we will dive into the impact games have had on the tech industry. You will also learn how to implement these techniques into your own application, enhancing both user retention and participation. All while going beyond the typical points, leaderboards and badges.
Take aways
- Learn how to identify gaming techniques in technology.
- Get a better understanding of your users and what motivates them.
- How to implement gamification in your own apps.
- Provide more gaming options than just the typical points, leaderboards and badges.
Combating Burnout: Unraveling the Science and the CBT Solution
Face it, the past few years have had a huge impact on our physical and mental health. And unfortunately, the majority of people never learned how to handle the mounting symptoms of what we lovingly call Burnout. According to a 2022 study, burnout symptoms affect more than half of today's workforce.
In this presentation we will look at the definitions, symptoms and underlying science of how burnout impacts your physical and mental health. I will also introduce a proven solution to combating burnout symptoms in the form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
Key Takeaways
- Identify the symptoms and science of Burnout.
- Introduce Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a solution to combat symptoms of burnout.
- Provide further resources for those struggling.
- Share my story of combating burnout and how it’s impacted my development career.
Animating Vue.js with GSAP
Animations are an easy way to add depth and dimension to an application. There are a lot of animation platforms out there, but in my opinion, GSAP is head and shoulders above the rest. In this presentation we will be discussing adding the Greensock Animation Platform to your Vue.js application and how using it can bring your application to life. Specific demos will be given on how to integrate GSAP into lifecycle hooks, router guards, page transitions, and list generation while using Vue.js.
Presented this at Connect.Tech 2021, VueConf 2022 and Modern Frontends Live 2022
Building Desktop Apps with JavaScript
We all know that Vue.js is great for building out web applications. With services like Netlify, Azure and Firebase, going from idea to finished product is now faster than ever. But what about desktop applications? Is there a way to build out applications that just work everywhere? Enter Electron. With Electron you can easily build out those cross-platform desktop apps with Vue, Vite and Vitest. You'll have access to native system API's such as the filesystem, network and user interfaces. All while building with the tech stack that we all know and love.
In this session, I will be discussing what Electron is and why it's a great solution for building out desktop apps. We will go over how to add Electron to your project, the gotcha’s with working in a desktop environment and how to take your project to the next level by building a desktop application with Electron.
Key Takeaways
- Able to add Electron to an existing repo
- Utilize native system API's to extend our apps functionality
- Give the attendees the confidence that they can build their own desktop apps
This is a new talk but I have been working with Electron for the last 5 years, building apps in Vue, Vite and Vitest.
The Art of Technical Decision Making
Developers are bombarded with technical decisions every day. What language should I learn? What framework should I use? What software will make my life easier? The list goes on and on. A simple decision can have rippling effects in your organization, both good and bad. Technical decision making isn’t so much about which tool to pick, rather what problem to solve. In this presentation, we explore various approaches to technical decision making, including techniques for gathering and evaluating information, strategies for managing uncertainty and risk, and methods for involving and engaging team members. We also discuss best practices for evaluating the success and effectiveness of technical decisions. The aim is to provide a practical guide for technical leaders looking to improve their decision making skills and make more effective technical decisions.
Take Aways
- Learning how to make the right decisions for your project / team.
- Techniques for gathering and evaluating information.
- Strategies for managing risk.
- We all make wrong decisions despite our best effort.
This talk has been given at THAT Conference TX 2023.
KCDC 2024 Sessionize Event
Vueconf.US & UIArchConf 2024 Sessionize Event
dev up 2023 Sessionize Event
Beer City Code 2023 Sessionize Event
KCDC 2023 Sessionize Event
Modern Frontends Live! 2022 Sessionize Event
Connect.Tech 2022 Sessionize Event
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