Interaction Design

✨ One FREE Drink with Each Ticket ✨ $40 per painter [Grab your Tickets Here](https://www.dandiandidesigns.com/upcoming-events) Location: Great Mane Brewery Time: 6:30pm This artwork is designed for individuals to paint on a single canvas. However, you're welcome to make it a collaboration project with a partner. Each person can paint half of the image on their own canvas, which will come together to form one uniform piece. Grab a Free Drink and let your creativity flow onto the canvas. We will start with a blank canvas, but no previous experience is needed. I will walk you through different shading and texture techniques to create your own work of art, as well as provide you with stencils for the doves. Take advantage of this opportunity to unwind, socialize, and create something beautiful! 🎨 Personalization Option: I’m more than happy to create custom stencils in place of the doves. In the past, guests have chosen cats, dogs, gnomes, and even Bigfoot! Simply message me on Facebook, Instagram, or via email. I’d love to help bring your vision to life. Please plan to arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled start time to ensure you have time to order your drink and settle in. The painting session will last approximately 2 hours. ⚠️ Important Notes: • Tickets are sold per painter. If painting as a couple, each person must purchase a ticket. • Tickets are non-refundable. • If you plan to collaborate on one image across two canvases, please contact me in advance via Facebook, Instagram, or email at DandiAndiDesigns24@gmail.com so I can arrange seating accordingly. Come unwind, socialize, and create something beautiful. Let's paint new memories together!

**Title**: Powering AI Through Data Modernization: Modernizing ETL with Databricks & Unity Catalog In this session, we will discuss how enterprises are modernizing their data platforms by migrating from legacy ETL tools (such as Informatica and traditional data warehouses) to Databricks Lakehouse architecture, and how Unity Catalog enables enterprise-grade governance, security, and discoverability across data and AI assets. We will start with food and drinks at 6pm and then move into the presentation at 6:30pm. The session will cover: * Why traditional ETL platforms are becoming a bottleneck for scale, cost, and AI adoption * How Databricks changes the data engineering and analytics operating mode * The role of Unity Catalog in centralized governance * How this foundation enables AI and Gene.AI use cases on trusted data * Q&A Our speaker for this event is **Hirenkumar Dholariya**. Hirenkumar Dholariya is a Senior Data Engineering Architect with 18+ years of experience modernizing enterprise data platforms for global Fortune 500 organizations, delivering up to 40% system performance improvement and 20–35% infrastructure cost reduction through large-scale migration from legacy ETL platforms to cloud-native Lakehouse architectures. He specializes in Databricks-based data engineering, Unity Catalog–driven governance, and building scalable, secure, and real-time analytics platforms. He has led multiple enterprise-wide transformations from tools such as Informatica and traditional data warehouses to Databricks, establishing governed data foundations using Unity Catalog and enabling advanced analytics and AI use cases on top of trusted data platforms. His leadership focuses on architecting durable data platforms, enabling teams to move faster with confidence, and translating data and AI investments into measurable business outcomes. *

In an era focused on scalable efficiency, the pursuit of absolute service consistency is often seen as the ultimate goal. But what is gained and what is lost when service offerings are entirely predictable? Does aiming for uniformity stifle necessary adaptation and human connection? Join us for an intimate discussion exploring the often overlooked trade-offs of **service consistency**. We'll dive into when consistency builds “trust and reliability”, and when it becomes “a barrier to designing flexible, empathetic, and truly customer-centric experiences”. **#ServiceDesign #ServiceConsistency #ServiceManagement** **What’s a Service Design DC salon?** Our salons are an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow designers, engage in meaningful conversations, and gain fresh perspectives on the evolving landscape of our field. Space is limited to ensure an intimate atmosphere and encourage deeper conversations. Whether you have been to a past salon or will be a first timer, we’d be happy to have you join this group discussion of service design practitioners and enthusiasts in the Washington D.C. area! **Evening Agenda** * 6:00 P.M. - Doors Open / Socializing \* * 6:30 P.M. - Salon begins * 8:00 P.M. - Salon Wraps up \*We will provide light refreshments, including food and drinks, during the salon. **Note about RSVPs:** * Due to the limited number of available spots, we kindly request that you update your RSVP if you are unable to attend so others may have the opportunity to join. Thank you for your understanding. *** Many thanks to our host and sponsor, **Technical Assent!** *At Technical Assent, we believe that government can be a platform for service innovation where services can be designed to be more relevant to customers, more reliable, and delivered at a lower cost.* *Our company exists to build high-performing government service organizations — government-to-citizens (G2C), government-to-government (G2G), and shared services. Our approach is unique in that we improve service performance from the bottom-up, starting with customer experience. We use that insight to design and modify the talent, tools, and technology that deliver government services to each customer. Technical Assent is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business appraised at CMMI-SVC Level 3.*

Hello everyone, we are excited host our first meetup of 2026! We'll have an amazing speaker presenting on a great topic. Hope to see everyone there! **Schedule** 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm - Sign-in/Meet and greet/networking 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm - AutoMobile 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm - Networking **Talk and Speaker Details** **Time:** 5:30 p.m. EST. **Title:** AutoMobile **Summary:** What if you could tell an AI agent "explore this app and find accessibility issues" and watch it navigate your mobile app autonomously? AutoMobile makes this possible today. AutoMobile is an open-source MCP server that gives AI agents native control over Android and iOS devices using natural language. It combines platform tools (adb, simctl) with custom Kotlin AccessibilityService and Swift XCTestService to enable AI-driven mobile workflows that are 10x faster than existing automation frameworks. Live demonstrations include: \- Install & run from scratch \- AI agent running UX deep dive\, reproducing bugs \- Accessibility & performance audits \- What running tests looks like \- Prototype IDE integration **Speaker:** Jason Pearson **Speaker Bio:** Jason Pearson spent the last 15 years building great UX across Android, iOS, Mac, Web, Backend, and Windows. Now he's applying all of that to AI tools while working at Slack in DevXP. **How to find us:** 1680 Capital One Drive, McLean, VA 22102 We'll be located in C2 **100 A**. The area is publicly accessible. If you can't find it, you can ask the front desk for directions to the **C2 100 A** **Attending Virtually?** We'll be streaming the event on Zoom [https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85740109015?pwd=1FQJyvaQp2ZgRrj5drb3a2FGVqll7H.1](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85740109015?pwd%3D1FQJyvaQp2ZgRrj5drb3a2FGVqll7H.1&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw1A-o2UNm0I1YVmkJcSCxfx) Meeting ID: 857 4010 9015 Passcode: 437286 **Parking**: You can park at 1680 Capital One Drive; this garage has a sign indicating public parking. Or at the WEGMANS parking lot.

**\* This is an in-person event** At the beginning of the year, most of us reflect on what we want to achieve and do in the coming months. However, if we only think about what we want to add, without reflecting on what we are already doing and what we might have to let go, we end up with an unrealistic plan that will leave us overwhelmed in March and abandoning change in May. In this reflective and interactive session we will create a plan that includes starting, prioritizing and letting go of activities to achieve the goals we strive for. You will leave the session with clear next steps to avoid the scarcity trap (not investing enough in promising ideas) as well as the rigidity trap (holding on to things because we know how to do them). In addition to these concrete plans, you will learn a set of planning facilitation tools that you can apply in group and individual settings, including Impromptu Networking, Ecocycle Planning, Troika Consulting and 15% Solutions. **Agenda** 6:30pm Welcome [Impromptu Networking](https://www.liberatingstructures.com/2-impromptu-networking/) (adapted Fast or Slow): 6:50pm Individual [Ecocycle Planning](https://www.liberatingstructures.com/31-ecocycle-planning/) 7:10pm [Troika Consulting](https://www.liberatingstructures.com/8-troika-consulting/) Peer Assist 7:40pm Shareout 8:00pm [Liberating Structures](https://www.liberatingstructures.com/matching-matrix/) intro 8:10pm [15% Solutions](https://www.liberatingstructures.com/7-15-solutions/) 8:30pm Closing **About our presenter** With over 20 years of professional experience as a facilitator, trainer, coach, poet and organizational change facilitator in the public and private sector, [Eva Schiffer](https://www.linkedin.com/in/eva-schiffer-675b058/) focuses on bringing people together to make progress on their most vexing challenges. She enjoys creating processes that allow for the unexpected to emerge, holding space for difficult conversations and inviting the whole person (mind, heart and body) into the room. Her career in international development has honed her skills in intercultural facilitation, and she passionately strives to create facilitated spaces that work for people from different contexts and with different needs.

**Agenda :** * 4.30 to 4.45 PM ET: Food and Networking * 4.45 to 5.30 PM ET: "Practical Applications of Model Context Protocol (MCP) (Feb 2026 Edition)" Hello Everyone! Please join us for our Feb 10th edition of the AI-ML MeetUp. **Please note this is an in-person meeting and light refreshments/food will be provided.** **Title:** Practical Applications of Model Context Protocol (MCP) (Feb 2026 Edition) **Description:** This session explores how the Model Context Protocol (MCP) can be used to connect AI models with real-world tools and data. Attendees will learn practical patterns for implementing MCP in production workflows and applications. Through examples and use cases, the session highlights how MCP enables more capable, context-aware AI systems. **Location:** The meeting will be hosted in the Applied Information Sciences ( AIS ) office in Reston, at 11440 Commerce Park Dr # 600 · Reston, VA. The location is also right off the Silver Line metro's Wiehle-Reston Metro Station. **Parking:** Parking is paid and can be validated at the AIS office reception. We will meet in Room Lake Anne. We hope to see you all there!!!!

DC iOS returns to the Capital One campus for our first meetup of 2026! Come and meet with fellow Apple developers in the DC Area, enjoy some food, networking, and a great tech talk! PLEASE INDICATE IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING IN PERSON OR OVER ZOOM. **Agenda:** • 5:40 PM - Doors Open (in-person attendees). **Don't forget your ID!** • 6:10 PM - Welcome (in-person and Zoom attendees) • 6:15 PM - **Talk: *SwiftUI Internals + Performance*** • 7:05 PM - Community Announcements & Networking • 8:00 PM - Doors close **Talk Description:** **SwiftUI Internals + Performance** Will Downey A fast-paced breakdown of how SwiftUI works. Aimed at helping build a conceptual understanding of SwiftUI whether you're experienced with the SwiftUI or still hanging on to UIKit. Bonus section on optimizing SwiftUI performance and profiling if time permits. Zoom Link: [https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89091509354?pwd=7y7ghL5i9iSA9rgbpQCdrBiWy5QX7c.1](https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89091509354?pwd=7y7ghL5i9iSA9rgbpQCdrBiWy5QX7c.1) **Location:** Capital One, C2 Building 1680 Capital One Drive, Mclean VA, 22102 100A Visitor parking is either in the garage attached to 1680 Capital One Drive, or the open lot next to 1600 Capital One Drive. After that you will walk over to the main entrance of 1680 Capital One drive, and then walk around the right to the corner to room 100A For the metro, take the Silver Line to the McLean metro stop, then walk into main campus (about a 5 minute walk). From there, walk to the main entrance of 1680 and then go to room 100A **What you need to bring:** ID **When to arrive:** Doors open at 5:50pm ET Event will start at 6:10 pm ET **Will food and drinks be provided?** Yep! **Will there be rapid testing provided?** No **Will masks be required?** No