Hello everyone! Welcome to today’s My Journey class chat. I’m Brian from the product team at Code.org, and I’m thrilled to introduce Kevin Shriver. Kevin will share his exciting journey from teaching himself web design to leading a team that enhances online healthcare experiences at Greenway Health.
For all the teachers here, we’ve enabled live closed captioning for our class chats, so feel free to use that. Also, let us know where you’re joining from and submit any questions your students have for Kevin in the Q&A. We’ll try to answer some during the chat today.
Let’s start with a fun icebreaker. Kevin, could you introduce yourself and tell us what your favorite activity was during recess in elementary school?
Hi, I’m Kevin Shriver. I’ve been working in software design and development for about ten years. My favorite recess activity was playing foursquare with my friends. We even had a competitive version called foursquare kickball!
Can you tell us more about your job? What’s your title, and what do you do?
I’m a User Interface Development Manager. I create the visual parts of our software, including animations and how everything looks and feels. I also help other developers use these elements in their projects.
What exactly is a user interface?
The user interface is everything you interact with on a computer, like icons and touch elements on the screen that let you use the software.
Who are the users of your software?
Our users are doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, as well as developers in my company.
What does your role as a development manager involve?
Our company makes software for hospitals and doctors. I manage a team that develops specific parts of that software.
Can you describe what doctors might see when using Greenway Health’s products?
Doctors use our application to see their patient lists for the day, including patient names, photos, and important information to help them manage their schedules.
How did you get to where you are now?
I started college studying digital arts and design. After graduating, I worked as a graphic designer. My first job was with a user experience team designing graphics for Blockbuster kiosks. I then became a lead designer at a softball company, which sparked my interest in development.
How did you transition from graphic design to your current role?
It was a gradual process. I started with graphic design but became more involved in development, which led me to focus on that area over time.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love working in healthcare and making it easier for people to access healthcare. I also enjoy the flexibility of working from home, which lets me spend more time with my family.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I enjoy walking and hiking in Florida, exploring the local wildlife. I also like playing video games, which I keep separate from my work setup to stay focused during work hours.
Did you have any mentors who helped you along the way?
Yes, I’ve had several mentors who answered my questions and guided me. Having someone willing to share their knowledge is invaluable.
What advice would you give to students learning about computer science?
It’s challenging, but anyone can learn it. There are many ways to contribute to computer science and software development. Persistence is key—if you hit a roadblock, find a way to work through it or try a different approach.
For students interested in design, how can they see themselves in computer science?
Computer science is broad and includes many roles, like design. There are many opportunities for those who want to create visually appealing software or work in technical writing, among other areas.
Thank you so much, Kevin, and thanks to all the teachers and students who joined us today. This is our last My Journey class chat for the spring. You can find recordings of past chats at Code.org CS Journeys. Teachers, please check your email for a survey; your feedback is appreciated. Thank you again, Kevin, for sharing your journey with us!
Imagine you are a user interface designer like Kevin. Create a simple sketch of a user interface for a healthcare app. Think about what elements doctors and nurses might need, such as patient lists or appointment schedules. Use paper and colored pencils to bring your design to life.
In groups, role-play as different healthcare professionals using a software application. One student can be a doctor, another a nurse, and others can be developers. Discuss what features each role would find most useful in a healthcare app and why.
Kevin mentioned the importance of mentors. Interview someone you know who works in technology or design. Ask them about their career path, challenges they faced, and advice they have for someone interested in their field.
Research different career paths in technology, such as graphic design, user interface development, or software engineering. Create a presentation or poster that highlights the skills needed, potential job roles, and how these roles contribute to industries like healthcare.
Kevin emphasized persistence in problem-solving. Work in pairs to solve a coding challenge or puzzle. If you encounter difficulties, discuss different strategies to overcome the problem, just like developers do in real-world scenarios.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hello everyone, thanks for joining us for today’s My Journey class chat. I’m Brian, part of the product team here at Code.org, and I’m excited to welcome Kevin Shriver today. He will share his journey from teaching himself how to build websites to becoming a graphic designer and now running a team that enhances online healthcare experiences at Greenway Health.
For all the teachers here, we’ve enabled live closed captioning for our class chats moving forward, so please take advantage of that. Also, let us know where you’re tuning in from and feel free to submit your students’ questions for Kevin in the Q&A. We’ll do our best to address some of those during the chat today.
To kick things off, let’s start with a fun icebreaker. Kevin, could you introduce yourself briefly and share what your favorite activity was during recess in elementary school?
Hi, I’m Kevin Shriver. I’ve been in the field of software design and development for about a decade now. My favorite thing to do at recess was playing foursquare. I had a core group of friends, and we would strategize to get others off the court. We even had a variant called foursquare kickball, which was very competitive.
Great! Now, could you tell us a bit more about your job? What is your title and what do you do?
My job title is User Interface Development Manager. Essentially, I’m responsible for creating all the visual components and elements within our software, including their animations and overall feel. I also help other developers integrate these elements into their projects.
Can you explain what a user interface is?
The user interface is everything you interact with on a computer. It includes icons and touch elements on the screen that allow users to engage with the software.
And who are the users in your case?
For me, the users are doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, as well as developers within my company.
What does your role as a development manager entail?
Our company creates software for hospitals and doctors. I manage a small team responsible for developing specific parts of that software.
Could you share a quick screenshot or describe what doctors might see when using Greenway Health’s products?
Sure! Doctors use our application to view their patient lists for the day. They can see patient names, photos, and relevant information to help them manage their schedules effectively.
So, this software helps ensure that doctors have up-to-date information about their patients, right?
Exactly! It allows for efficient data capture and sharing among various healthcare providers.
There are many roles that contribute to quality healthcare. Can you share your work journey? How did you get to where you are now?
I started college studying digital arts and design. After graduating, I worked as a graphic designer, creating graphics for various businesses. My first job was with a user experience team where I designed graphics for Blockbuster kiosks. From there, I transitioned to a lead designer role at a softball company, which sparked my interest in development as I worked closely with developers on the website.
How did you move from graphic design to your current role?
It was a gradual process. My first job after college involved a lot of graphic design, but I became more involved in the development side, which led me to focus more on that area over time.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love working in the healthcare industry and making it easier for people to access healthcare. I also appreciate the flexibility of working from home, allowing me to spend more time with my family.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I enjoy going for walks and hikes in Florida, where I can explore the local wildlife. I also like playing video games, which I keep separate from my work setup to maintain focus during work hours.
Along your journey, were there any mentors who helped you?
Yes, I’ve had several mentors throughout my career who answered my questions and guided me. Finding someone willing to share their knowledge is invaluable.
What advice would you give to students starting to learn about computer science?
It’s challenging, but anyone can learn it. There are many ways to contribute to computer science and software development. Persistence is key—if you encounter a roadblock, find a way to work through it or try a different approach.
For students interested in design, how can they see themselves in computer science?
Computer science is broad and encompasses many roles, including design. There are many opportunities for those who want to create visually appealing software or work in technical writing, among other areas.
Thank you so much, Kevin, and thank you to all the teachers and students who attended today. This is our last My Journey class chat for the spring. You can find recordings of past chats at Code.org CS Journeys. Teachers, please check your email for a survey; your feedback is appreciated. Thank you again, Kevin, for sharing your journey with us!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
User Interface – The part of a computer system or software that users interact with, including screens, menus, and icons. – The user interface of the new app is very intuitive and easy to navigate.
Software – Programs and other operating information used by a computer. – The software update improved the performance of my laptop significantly.
Design – The process of creating a plan or layout for a software application or system. – In our computer class, we learned how to design a simple website using HTML and CSS.
Development – The process of creating and improving software applications. – The development of the new game took over a year to complete.
Healthcare – The use of technology and software to improve medical services and patient care. – Many healthcare apps help doctors track patient progress more efficiently.
Graphics – Visual images or designs used in software and computer applications. – The graphics in the video game are so realistic that they almost look like real life.
Coding – The process of writing instructions for a computer to perform specific tasks. – We spent the afternoon coding a simple calculator program in Python.
Users – People who use computers, software, or applications. – The app was designed to be accessible for users of all ages.
Experience – The overall interaction and satisfaction a user has with a computer system or software. – Improving the user experience is a key goal for the development team.
Computer – An electronic device that processes data and performs tasks according to a set of instructions. – My computer can run multiple applications at the same time without slowing down.
