Mobile developers, meet your Build MC
If you are not attending Microsoft Build 2018 in person, you’ll be able to attend virtually by joining the free digital gathering — Microsoft Build Live — where you can check out live keynotes and select sessions, watch on-demand sessions, interact with other developers and Microsoft experts, and create and share your custom playlists and favorites.
What’s more, this year’s Build Live offering will feature five top developers from the Windows Developer community, each known as a Build MC. Their time on the ground at Microsoft Build will result in tailored online experiences of the conference for developers around the world who can’t attend themselves.
Read on to learn more about Neil Turner, Build MC, mobile development.
Obsessed with development and design
Neil Turner started developing as a hobby and is now a Microsoft MVP in Windows Platform Development. He’s known for building simple, well-designed Windows apps such as Bus Nearby, Fuel Nearby, and Broadsheet.
He works as a lead Windows developer in the commercial mobility and aviation division at Viasat Ireland, where he excels at developing next-generation software that enables flight operations for pilots and flight and ground crews.
“I think my friends would probably describe me as opinionated and funny,” he says. “I am a very technical person, but I also enjoy a lot of creative stuff. I recently took up aerial drone photography, which is perfect for me because it combines my love of technology with my passion for design.”
Marrying those two interests is something of an obsession for Neil. “The apps that are easiest to use,” he says, “can be the most challenging — but also the most gratifying — to build.”
Designing a great UX inspires him the most. “It’s incredibly important these days. We used to think of design as quite a superficial thing, but it has become an intrinsic part of any mobile app. Ultimately, design is what differentiates your app from someone else’s.”
In order to accomplish these goals, he uses Microsoft’s Universal Windows Platform (UWP) and the Fluent Design System. “As a developer, I really just hope to make good, polished apps that feel natural on any device,” he says, “and Microsoft’s tools give you so many avenues to do that.”
Headed to Seattle as a Build MC
Neil is excited to attend Microsoft Build 2018 and share his on-site experience as a Build MC. In addition to conveying plenty of practical advice, he’ll help others benefit from his knowledge of Windows 10, UWP, and the Fluent Design System.
“I was lucky enough to attend Microsoft Build 2014, and it was an amazing experience,” he says. “One of the great things about the conference is that it’s very personal. You get to talk to the PM’s, exchange ideas, immerse yourself in Windows 10, and explore the future of the ecosystem.”
This year, he’s eager to discover more about the latest refinements to the Fluent Design System. “I really want to find out how Microsoft is bringing an even more modern design language to the platform — both technically and graphically.
We’re also going to see Windows 10 move forward as a platform and become even easier to develop and deploy, especially for mobile app developers. And, in terms of enterprise, I’m excited to explore the benefits of rewriting older applications for Windows 10, modernizing them, and bringing them forward to a great new platform.”
His take is very much grounded in real world applications. “I’ll be asking a lot of pragmatic questions,” he explains. “I really want to dig deeper and discover what the new APIs mean for developers like myself and understand how we can harness the power of these technologies to build apps that are really beneficial.”
As active member of the Windows developer community, he’s also hoping to catch up with old friends — and make new ones. “I’m lucky enough to know a few people at Microsoft, so it will be fun to see them again. I’m sure that, by the third day, we’ll all be really excited and a little bit tired. Thankfully, we’re in Seattle, so there’ll be plenty of coffee!”
Inspiring the next generation
Giving others the benefit of his knowledge and experience is something that informs and inspires all aspects of Neil’s life. When he’s not working, he volunteers his time to teach young people to code at his local CoderDojo in Dublin, Ireland.
The fast-growing educational foundation runs a global network of free computing clubs for young people to provide an opportunity to learn how to code in a fun, social environment.
“We introduce them to electronics, robots, web pages, Scratch programming — things like that. It’s been a lot of fun because it forces me to take all my complex professional knowledge and explain it in a really simple, relatable way.”
It’s exactly the kind of collaborative approach, he says, that is helping to change the perception of what it means to be a developer.
“Developing isn’t just about people individually programming anymore,” he says. “It’s about getting out there in the community and making new friends; collaborating with different people from all walks of life.
Learning to build things can be a really social experience, and there’s a lot more mind sharing involved now. Ultimately, as a developer, you never stop learning — which is why Microsoft Build is going to be such an awesome experience.”
RSVP to Microsoft Build Live here. Then, to follow Neil online and focus on mobile development during the event, go here.
