GitHub Copilot Dev Days | Atlanta
Build with GitHub Copilot at Dev Days Atlanta — real AI workflows, live demos, and a hands-on lab at Microsoft Atlantic Yards. Free event.
Join us for a community-led developer event focused on AI-assisted coding with GitHub Copilot. This event brings together developers to explore practical workflows, real-world use cases, and hands-on experiences using GitHub Copilot.
Whether you are new to GitHub Copilot or already using it, this event will help you better understand how to apply AI-assisted coding techniques in everyday development.
📅 Agenda
🍽 5:30 PM – Food & Networking
Connect with other developers before we dive in.
👋 6:00 PM – Welcome & Opening
🤖 6:05 PM – GitHub Agentic Workflows - Andrew Schillinger, Enterprise Architect @ Connexure
his session focuses on the jump from standard automation to "Continuous AI". You’d show how to build agentic workflows using simple markdown and the gh-aw CLI to handle real-world tasks like triage or diagnosing failures with the "CI Doctor".
🌟 6:40 PM – Stop Context Switching: Using MCP to bring Jira and Figma into VS Code - Hannah Hogan, Developer and STEM educator
Software developers spend a surprising amount of time not writing software. We jump between issue trackers, design tools, documentation, and our editor, constantly translating information from one system into another. The result is friction, context switching, and lost momentum in the development workflow.
Recent advances in AI tooling are beginning to change that dynamic. Using Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, developers can connect external systems directly to their development environment, allowing AI assistants inside VS Code to interact with tools like Jira and Figma in a structured, programmatic way. Instead of manually hunting for tickets or interpreting design specs, developers can query project context, retrieve design details, and act on Jira issues without leaving their editor.
This talk walks through how MCP servers work and how they can be used to integrate Jira and Figma directly into a modern development workflow. Using real-life examples from my daily workflow, we explore how AI-assisted tooling can reduce context switching, streamline communication between design and engineering, and bring more project awareness into the IDE.
Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of what MCP servers are, how they enable AI tools to interact with external platforms, and how developers can start experimenting with this approach to build more integrated and efficient workflows.
🧪 7:15 PM – VS Code GitHub Copilot Agent Lab - Allison Higgins, CTO, @ Kolor Koded Enterprises, LLC
Build a Social Bingo Game with VS Code Copilot Agent Mode
In this interactive lab, you’ll:
- Work with Copilot Agent Mode in VS Code
- Explore context engineering and agentic primitives (background, cloud, and custom agents)
- Apply design-first development and TDD workflows
- Build a Social Bingo game step-by-step
Prerequisites:
- VS Code v1.107+
- GitHub Copilot enabled
- Node.js 22+
- Git installed
🚀 8:15 PM – Closing & Next Steps
🔍 Prerequisites
GitHub Copilot Dev Days events are open to developers of all experience levels. Different events may cover different topics that are more relevant for a subset of developers. For example, there is a workshop geared toward App Modernization that may be less relevant to beginners.
GitHub Copilot free subscription — Sign up here
Laptop — Required for events that include a hands-on workshop. Note: Some events may focus on specific topics (e.g., App Modernization) that are more relevant for experienced developers.
📜 Code of Conduct
We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all participants. Please review the event Code of Conduct before attending.
📍 How to get there
🔒Security: Guests will need to bring a government issued photo ID to receive a pre-printed badge upon arrival.
📌 Event Location: Microsoft Atlanta - Atlantic Yards: 200 17th Street NW Atlanta, GA 30363
South Building - MPR 2.2D (2nd Floor)Enter at the South Lobby entrance.
🚉 Nearest Public Transport: The Arts Center MARTA station
🅿️ Parking Options: Parking Entrance on Fowler Street and Motor Court
Everyone participating in the REFACTR.TECH conference, events and Discord/Slack community—including, but not limited to attendees, speakers, sponsors and volunteers at REFACTR.TECH, are required to agree to the following code of conduct. Organizers will enforce this code throughout the event.
Build with GitHub Copilot at Dev Days Atlanta — real AI workflows, live demos, and a hands-on lab at Microsoft Atlantic Yards. Free event.
Join us for a community-led developer event focused on AI-assisted coding with GitHub Copilot. This event brings together developers to explore practical workflows, real-world use cases, and hands-on experiences using GitHub Copilot.
Whether you are new to GitHub Copilot or already using it, this event will help you better understand how to apply AI-assisted coding techniques in everyday development.
📅 Agenda
🍽 5:30 PM – Food & Networking
Connect with other developers before we dive in.
👋 6:00 PM – Welcome & Opening
🤖 6:05 PM – GitHub Agentic Workflows - Andrew Schillinger, Enterprise Architect @ Connexure
his session focuses on the jump from standard automation to "Continuous AI". You’d show how to build agentic workflows using simple markdown and the gh-aw CLI to handle real-world tasks like triage or diagnosing failures with the "CI Doctor".
🌟 6:40 PM – Stop Context Switching: Using MCP to bring Jira and Figma into VS Code - Hannah Hogan, Developer and STEM educator
Software developers spend a surprising amount of time not writing software. We jump between issue trackers, design tools, documentation, and our editor, constantly translating information from one system into another. The result is friction, context switching, and lost momentum in the development workflow.
Recent advances in AI tooling are beginning to change that dynamic. Using Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, developers can connect external systems directly to their development environment, allowing AI assistants inside VS Code to interact with tools like Jira and Figma in a structured, programmatic way. Instead of manually hunting for tickets or interpreting design specs, developers can query project context, retrieve design details, and act on Jira issues without leaving their editor.
This talk walks through how MCP servers work and how they can be used to integrate Jira and Figma directly into a modern development workflow. Using real-life examples from my daily workflow, we explore how AI-assisted tooling can reduce context switching, streamline communication between design and engineering, and bring more project awareness into the IDE.
Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of what MCP servers are, how they enable AI tools to interact with external platforms, and how developers can start experimenting with this approach to build more integrated and efficient workflows.
🧪 7:15 PM – VS Code GitHub Copilot Agent Lab - Allison Higgins, CTO, @ Kolor Koded Enterprises, LLC
Build a Social Bingo Game with VS Code Copilot Agent Mode
In this interactive lab, you’ll:
- Work with Copilot Agent Mode in VS Code
- Explore context engineering and agentic primitives (background, cloud, and custom agents)
- Apply design-first development and TDD workflows
- Build a Social Bingo game step-by-step
Prerequisites:
- VS Code v1.107+
- GitHub Copilot enabled
- Node.js 22+
- Git installed
🚀 8:15 PM – Closing & Next Steps
🔍 Prerequisites
GitHub Copilot Dev Days events are open to developers of all experience levels. Different events may cover different topics that are more relevant for a subset of developers. For example, there is a workshop geared toward App Modernization that may be less relevant to beginners.
GitHub Copilot free subscription — Sign up here
Laptop — Required for events that include a hands-on workshop. Note: Some events may focus on specific topics (e.g., App Modernization) that are more relevant for experienced developers.
📜 Code of Conduct
We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all participants. Please review the event Code of Conduct before attending.
📍 How to get there
🔒Security: Guests will need to bring a government issued photo ID to receive a pre-printed badge upon arrival.
📌 Event Location: Microsoft Atlanta - Atlantic Yards: 200 17th Street NW Atlanta, GA 30363
South Building - MPR 2.2D (2nd Floor)Enter at the South Lobby entrance.
🚉 Nearest Public Transport: The Arts Center MARTA station
🅿️ Parking Options: Parking Entrance on Fowler Street and Motor Court
Everyone participating in the REFACTR.TECH conference, events and Discord/Slack community—including, but not limited to attendees, speakers, sponsors and volunteers at REFACTR.TECH, are required to agree to the following code of conduct. Organizers will enforce this code throughout the event.
Good to know
Highlights
- 3 hours
- In person
Location
Microsoft
200 17th Street Northwest
Atlanta, GA 30363
How do you want to get there?
