Chapter 1: Navigating Challenges Together
At Techspire, we prioritize our colleagues and enjoy spending quality time together. However, the global pandemic introduced several obstacles that required us to rethink our approach to collaboration.
In light of these challenges, attending a conference together became a long-standing goal for us. When the opportunity for CodeMotion 2021 Fall Edition arose, we were thrilled! At that time, COVID-19 cases appeared stable, and we were eager to experience this event as a team. We invested in a new 4K projector and a large screen, surprising our CEO with the arrival of our shiny new equipment. With these tools, we were able to set up two rooms in our office, allowing us to host two simultaneous sessions while adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols. Unfortunately, just two weeks before the conference, cases surged in the Netherlands, prompting further restrictions. Undeterred, we transitioned to a fully virtual format for CodeMotion.
To facilitate communication during the conference, we created a dedicated Slack channel to discuss the various talks we attended. One of the advantages of a virtual conference is the ease of switching between sessions; there's no need to physically move from room to room. This allowed our team to spread out and always catch the most engaging talk at any given time.
I encouraged everyone who participated to share their top three insights from the conference. In this brief blog post, I will highlight the talks that resonated most with our team. At Techspire, we take pride in our diverse workforce, which is reflected in the varied takeaways. Only one presentation was frequently mentioned by multiple attendees, while others garnered singular insights. This made compiling the blog a bit challenging, but I appreciate that everyone found value in the conference.
One standout talk that sparked considerable thought was "Diversity in Tech" by Antonia Forster. I admire our team's commitment to inclusivity, and it was refreshing to see a discussion focused not solely on technical aspects but also on improving the industry for everyone involved. A key takeaway for me was:
"I appreciated the emphasis on diversity, as it was one of the few instances where a speaker clearly outlined actionable steps for enhancing diversity and addressing identity biases within an organization. Promoting diversity requires ongoing effort and dedication at all organizational levels, and it’s a continuous process that must be regularly evaluated to uncover biases."
Given the tie in the number of impactful talks we experienced over two days (15 in total!), I'll share my personal favorites among the takeaways. One noteworthy insight stemmed from Mattia Tommasone's presentation on the "Saga Pattern: Managing Transactions Between Microservices."
In this talk, he discussed the database-per-service pattern, where each service maintains its own database. The saga design pattern assists in ensuring data consistency across microservices in distributed transaction scenarios. Essentially, the saga pattern facilitates a series of transactions that update microservices sequentially. If any step fails, it triggers a rollback, reversing operations and publishing rollback events to preceding microservices.
Another takeaway that resonated with my team came from Cassie Evans’s talk titled "Keep Scrolling." I found her insights fascinating. My takeaway emphasized the potential to transform mundane information into engaging content by breaking it down into digestible segments. By employing CSS and JavaScript, we can maintain user engagement and create an enjoyable experience. The simple act of scrolling can significantly enhance the way we convey information to our audience, and we should always strive to present it in an easily consumable manner.
Conclusion: Lessons Learned
One insight that stood out, unrelated to any specific talk, was the acknowledgment that "Online conferences can be challenging, especially when interactive features are delayed or ineffective." This was certainly our experience. Nevertheless, we were grateful for the opportunity to virtually attend the conference together and had fun despite the restrictions. It’s essential for our company culture to continue fostering connections.
We also extend our gratitude to the CodeMotion team for their adaptability in hosting the conference amid ongoing challenges.
Keep learning, keep having fun, and stay safe!
Who Am I?
I am a senior full-stack engineer and consultant serving as Team Lead at Techspire in the Netherlands 🇳🇱. With nearly a decade of experience in software engineering, my passion for the field remains as strong as ever. My primary expertise is in Angular, but as a technology enthusiast, I also have proficiency in Python, Ruby on Rails, and AWS.
Do you believe you have what it takes to join our team? At Techspire, we seek individuals who share our enthusiasm for technology and are eager to expand their knowledge. We also appreciate a good story, a hearty laugh, and the occasional beer.