Abstract: 

"Alexa is Amazon’s voice service and the brain behind millions of devices including Amazon Echo. Alexa provides capabilities, or skills, that enable customers to create a more personalized experience. There are now more than 10,000 skills from companies like Starbucks, Uber, and Capital One as well as innovative designers and developers. You, too, can build engaging skills and reach millions of customers with the Alexa Skills Kit (ASK). ASK is a collection of self-service APIs, tools, documentation, and code samples that makes it fast and easy for you to add skills to Alexa. With ASK, you can leverage Amazon’s knowledge and pioneering work in the field of voice design. Attend this workshop to learn how to create compelling voice experiences for Alexa.

In this workshop, you’ll learn:
• Introduction to Alexa Skills Kit
• Introduction to basic concepts like intents, utterances, and slots
• How to build your first skill
• How to leverage AWS Lambda
• How to set your skill up for successful certification

What should I do prior to arrival?
1. Sign up for an Amazon developer account (free)
2. Sign up for an Amazon Web Services (AWS) account (free but credit card required for signup)
3. Download and install Node.js (optional, but recommended)
4. Browse the Alexa GitHub repository

What should I bring?
Your laptop and charger. Tablets do not provide the multi-tab capabilities you will want.

Bio: 

Born and raised in the Bay, Paul is all about tech, entrepreneurship, and the Golden State Warriors – ”Even before they won a championship!” as he always says. If you want to check out local events, meet new people in the tech community, or simply kick back: Paul is your guy. On the weekends you’ll find him cheering on the Warriors or looking for new adventures within or outside the Bay.