• English (UK)

For those not familiar with J-Fall: it is the largest Java conference in the Netherlands, and this year’s edition was completely sold out with around 1,900 attendees. J-Fall continues to be an important event for Planon to strengthen our employer brand and increase our visibility as a Java-focused software company.

Competing for attention alongside organizations like ASML, Rabobank, CapGemini and NS (Dutch Railways), we designed a hands-on challenge to draw participants to our booth. The task: build a LEGO® bridge using Java code. Each brick featured a snippet of Java, and participants had to assemble the bricks in the correct order to complete the code. When the code was assembled correctly, it formed a LEGO® bridge. Building a physical bridge with the LEGO® pieces earned extra points. The fastest builder could win a LEGO® globe.

The challenge was a hit! Many developers – solo or in pairs – gave it their best shot. It was great to watch the different strategies unfold. Some participants carefully mapped out the code before touching a single brick, while others dove straight in. Some prioritized structural stability, while others focused purely on speed. The winning time? An impressive 1 minute and 25 seconds!

Playing the Planon challenge at J-Fall

Even though direct recruitment wasn’t permitted, our recruitment and development colleagues still had meaningful conversations about who we are, what we build, and what it’s like to work at Planon.

All in all, J-Fall proved once again to be a valuable opportunity to learn, share our passion for software development and build connections!

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