At the heart of technological innovation, Visual Studio Live! at Microsoft HQ is the perfect place for developers to enhance their skills and expand their knowledge of the .NET Microsoft Platform. From August 5-9, 2024, the Microsoft Conference Center in Redmond hosted five days of engaging and unbiased education on a wide range of topics, including ASP.NET Core, .NET 7/8, Generative AI, MAUI, JavaScript, TypeScript, Azure, Blazor, and modern data warehouse technology. Attendees had the unique opportunity to interact directly with industry leaders, receive practical guidance, and dive into the latest innovations in software development. We are excited to feature insights from Rockford Lhotka, United States Cloud + AI, DevOps, Open Source Frameworks MVP and Regional Director, and Eric Boyd, United States AI Platform, Microsoft Azure and Regional Director, as they share their experiences at this event.

MVP and RD Rocky Lhotka

Could you share what aspects of VSLive contribute to its success from your perspective?

Rocky: VS Live! provides a great mix of independent speakers who use the products in the real world, and Microsoft speakers who can provide insight into the future of the products. Our audience is primarily business developers who are building software for their companies, so they are looking for practical advice on how to use the tools to solve their problems. The sessions are a mix of introduction to new technology, deep dives into specific technologies and informative looks at the future. We also include career and personal development topics to help people better develop their own career arcs. The speakers are all experts in their fields so the attendees know they are getting the best advice available. Because the events are held across the U.S. attendees can bring their families and make a vacation out of the trip.   Orlando for family fun, Las Vegas for nightlife, Redmond for a chance to visit Microsoft headquarters, and a variety of other cities for music, food, sightseeing, and other adventures.

Eric: The VSLive! team does a great job of bringing together exceptional speakers from around the world. And while they are great speakers and presenters they are also practitioners that are building solutions and working daily with the technologies they present, so as an attendee, you’re getting real-world and practical guidance.  There are also Microsoft presenters who provide insight and context from the product groups. The session lineup is always a great mix of technologies that people are currently using in production, and technologies that are up and coming that we need to be aware of and considering. And there is a mix of session formats, everything from 20-minute fast focus sessions, 75-minute breakout sessions, keynotes, one-day workshops, and two-day hands-on-labs.

What have been some standout moments for you during the event?

Rocky: Certainly, one highlight was the launch of Visual Studio with .NET by Bill Gates in 2002! Since then, we’ve had many keynotes and announcements from the .NET, Visual Studio, Azure, and other teams at Microsoft.

For me personally though, it is the chance to meet with attendees and speakers and hear their stories. I’ve met people who have been coming to the show for decades, and others who are attending for the first time. I’ve also met people who have changed jobs, started companies, and improved their lives because of connections they made at the show.

Eric: VSLive! hosts a lunch mid-week where speakers have designated tables and attendees join them and converse over a meal. It’s a great time for attendees to ask questions, discuss challenges, and generate new ideas. I really enjoy these lunches. The evening events are also great opportunities for attendees to meet other attendees and presenters.

Have there been instances where your guidance positively impacted an attendee’s experience or perhaps a time when your networking efforts helped facilitated a significant career opportunity for someone?

Rocky: Like many of our speakers, I make an effort to join attendees at lunch and to be available for questions after my sessions. Often I spend time in a comfortable chair in the open areas of the show, having conversations with all sorts of folks.

Over the years I’ve had people come up to me and tell me that they completed a large software project, got a promotion, or got a new job because of our conversations, my presentations, or books.

Recently I’ve been leading an open-source project called Kids ID Kit, which is a free tool for parents to create a digital ID kit for their children. In the past few months three people have joined our development team after hearing about the project from my sessions, and they are helping make the world a better place while honing and building their Blazor and .NET skills.

Before I became a speaker at events, I would usually attend events to get two things: to be inspired about the future, and to solve some pragmatic issue what was blocking me or my team. As a speaker I always try to remember that perspective, and I try to be one of the people who can help people achieve those goals while they are at VS Live!.

Eric: Over the past year I’ve been delivering a two-day hands-on-lab on Python and artificial intelligence. The title is even prefaced with “Elevate Your Career.” And those who attend this workshop are looking to gain a foundational understanding of Python and AI to enhance their careers and get into the rapidly changing and growing world of artificial intelligence. This is exciting for me because it’s usually an audience of Microsoft developers who are not familiar with the Python language and not normally involved in AI related projects and I get to help them lay down the foundations for a potential shift in their careers. On several occasions, I’ve been able to work with attendees after the event on a project and provide guidance and mentoring and help them learn new things and develop new skills throughout the project which has been helpful in their careers.

MVP and RD Eric Boyd

To wrap up, Visual Studio Live! 2024 at Microsoft HQ was an incredible event that brought together developers, software architects, engineers, and designers. Rockford Lhotka and Eric Boyd shared their valuable experiences, providing attendees with practical guidance and real-world insights. Rockford highlighted the importance of connecting with attendees and speakers, sharing stories of how the event has positively impacted careers and projects. While Eric emphasized the hands-on learning opportunities and the chance to work on projects that enhance skills and open new career paths. Their contributions made the event even more enriching, fostering a sense of community and collaboration among participants. VS Live! was not just about learning new technologies but also about building relationships and inspiring growth in the ever-evolving world of technology.

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