Tag: Photos

June 2024 – Meetup

Despite an unexpected change in plans, our June meetup turned out to be an engaging and insightful evening. Unfortunately, our scheduled speaker had to back out due to an injury and recovery process. However, we were thrilled to host another Show and Tell session featuring a talented Staffordshire University student, Jess Twigg, who presented her final year project titled “Utilising AI and Personality To Encourage Exercise As A Way Of Life.”

We wrapped up the evening with our open discussion session led by Fiona. This session, inspired by the Lean Coffee format, allows attendees to collaboratively set the agenda and contribute to the conversation. It provides a platform for participants to share their thoughts, experiences, and insights on various topics related to technology and beyond. The open discussion format never fails to spark engaging and thought-provoking exchanges among our community members, making it a highlight of our meetups.

Talk

Utilising AI and Personality To Encourage Exercise As A Way Of Life

Jess Twigg

Jess’s project aims to tackle the challenge of motivating individuals to incorporate regular exercise into their lives, promoting fitness and overall well-being. She explored how artificial intelligence (AI) can be leveraged in conjunction with personality insights to create personalised exercise plans that cater to each user’s unique preferences and interests. By tailoring the exercise experience to individual personalities, Jess believes that people will be more likely to embrace and sustain a healthy lifestyle.

The presentation sparked thought-provoking discussions among the attendees, as they pondered the potential of AI in promoting healthy habits and the role of personality in shaping one’s approach to fitness.

May 2024 – Meetup

Thanks to all those who joined us at the May meetup. We were delighted to host two students from Staffordshire University, Noor-Us Sabah and Ed Barton, who presented their Final Year Projects.

Noor-Us Sabah showcased her project, “SmartRecycle – Home Recycling App,” which aims to simplify home recycling by using AI image recognition to identify objects and offer recycling guidance based on material, as well as upcycling ideas.

Ed Barton, on the other hand, demonstrated his work on “Implementing Software-Controlled Mood Lighting for Smart Bulbs Through Colour Detection in Visual Media,” exploring the intersection of smart home technology and visual media.

These presentations not only gave our group an insight into the innovative projects undertaken by the students but also provided them with a valuable opportunity to hone their presentation skills before the upcoming GradEx event hosted by Staffordshire University in June.

We extend our gratitude to Codeweavers for graciously hosting our event once again. Their continued support is genuinely appreciated, and we look forward to many more engaging meetups in the future.

Thanks, Ian Knight, for photographing the event for us.

April 2024 – Meetup

Thanks to all those who joined us at the April meetup. A massive thanks is also in order for Codeweavers for graciously hosting our event once again. Their continued support is genuinely appreciated!

Our speaker, Matthew delivered his talk discussing the complexities of managing a large codebase, likening it to tending a garden. He showcased ts-morph for mass refactoring and explored how AI could play a role in crafting code transformations.

We wrapped up with our open discussion session led by Natasha. The topics of conversation followed on from Matthew’s talk, covering AI and its role in higher education—as well as whether we should thank machines for their help during interactions (and if so, will our polite gestures be remembered during the machine uprising?).

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Accelerating Code Evolution – Transforming Your Codebase with TsMorph and ChatGPT

Matthew Kemp — Senior Frontend Developer, Codeweavers

Matthew’s talk highlighted the challenges involved in managing a large and intricate codebase. With the backdrop of a new version of Angular, Matthew likened the codebase to a garden in need of consistent upkeep. Updating code to accommodate new syntax and methodologies is time-consuming, and the business case for doing so can be difficult to justify. While acknowledging the challenges of codebase evolution, Matthew emphasised its necessity and benefits.

Matthew demonstrated a method for mass refactoring code using ts-morph. This library offers an API that allows you to access, traverse and modify code by working with Abstract Syntax Trees (AST). This automation of code transformation can lead to substantial reductions in time and effort.

Matthew then explained how ChatGPT can be used to write the refactoring formula, offering insight into how best to generate code with ChatGPT. He also discussed common pitfalls and tips for using this tool effectively.

Matthew’s vision for the future of codebase maintenance is one in which efficiency and innovation go hand-in-hand. He showed how leveraging artificial intelligence alongside automated tooling offers developers a faster route to solutions while minimising menial tasks.

March 2024 – Meetup

Thanks to all those who joined us at the March meetup. A massive thanks is also in order for Codeweavers for graciously hosting our event once again. Their continued support is genuinely appreciated!

Greg’s talk illustrated how minor, easy-to-apply optimisations in PHP and JavaScript can provide a noticeable performance boost.

We wrapped up with our open discussion session led by Simon. This session is inspired by the Lean Coffee format, allowing attendees to collaboratively set the agenda. This offers a unique opportunity for all participants to actively contribute and sparks engaging discussion.

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Low Effort PHP and JS Micro-optimisations

Greg Mayes — Lead Engineer, AviationValues

Greg’s talk centred around practical micro-optimisation strategies in PHP and JavaScript, emphasising the concept of the aggregation of marginal gains. By carefully tweaking and fine-tuning code, he demonstrated that developers could achieve minor but cumulative performance enhancements. The micro-optimisations presented were not only simple to implement but also resulted in noticeable speed and efficiency gains. Greg’s expertise provided valuable insights, guiding developers on how to improve their code’s performance in an impactful way without succumbing to the inefficient pursuit of minimal returns.

Thanks, Ian Knight, for photographing the event for us.

February 2024 – Meetup

Thanks to all those who joined us at the February meetup. A massive thanks is also in order for Codeweavers for graciously hosting our event once again. Their continued support is genuinely appreciated!

Natasha’s talk underscored the importance of the KISS principle in UX design, advocating for simplicity and user-centric approaches. The talk sparked a flurry of conversation, as participants shared their own UX design encounters.

We wrapped up with our open discussion session led by Phil. Loosely inspired by the Lean Coffee format, allowing attendees to collaboratively set the agenda. This session offers a unique opportunity for all participants to actively contribute, sparking engaging and thought-provoking discussion. It never fails to entertain!

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KISS – A UX Designers Approach

Natasha Wylie — Lecturer, Staffordshire University

Natasha took the stage to share her insights into the philosophy that less is indeed more, particularly when it comes to user experience design (UX). Her talk covered the “keep it simple stupid” (KISS) principle and its role in creating intuitive, user-friendly designs.

Through a series of real-world examples, Natasha highlighting the stark contrasts between effective UX designs and those that fail to meet user needs.

Natasha pointed out the notorious example of Ling’s Cars—a site that is intentionally chaotic in its design, reminiscent of the early days of web design. In contrast, she presented the Nespresso website as an example of good UX design. Highlighting its seamless navigation, which effectively guides the user journey, making the shopping experience both intuitive and enjoyable.

The session was a reminder of the power of simplicity. It encouraged professionals to cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters: their customers’ needs.