Research & Development Engineer

A decade. Hundreds of conversations, ideas, and inspirations. And we're celebrating with a meetup that truly delivers. Three exceptional speakers, topics that matter, and plenty of room for what has made this meetup special for 10 years: real people, real conversations, real networking. **The Evening at a Glance** 17:30 Doors open, first drinks, familiar faces and new ones 18:00 Welcome and a brief look back at 10 years of DevOps Meetup Zurich 18:15–18:45 **Claws in the Dark: Bringing DevSecOps to Legacy Hardware with Robotics and Playwright** by Alexander Friesen 18:45–19:15 **Beyond Agile: Structuring Organizations for Real Autonomy** by Lea Düker 19:15–19:25 Short break 19:25–19:55 **From Bottlenecks to Flow: OKRs, Value Stream Management, and Governance Done Right** by Vasileios Konofaos 19:55–20:15 Panel discussion with all three speakers 20:15 Networking, Open Space, snacks, drinks, and anniversary cake 🎂 **Claws in the Dark: Bringing DevSecOps to Legacy Hardware with Robotics and Playwright** What do you do when your software’s "deployment target" is a piece of security hardware embedded in a concrete wall for 20 years? In the world of access control, we don't have the luxury of "move fast and break things"—if the integration fails, the door stays locked. For decades, hardware development at Primion relied on manual bit-shifting, incomplete specifications, and the "read, write, and pray" method. When the pandemic decentralized our R&D department—scattering 60 developers across Europe—the traditional model of physical bench testing collapsed. We couldn't send a lab to everyone’s home, so we brought the developers to the lab through robotics. In this session, we deep-dive into how we bridged the physical-digital divide by building a fully automated hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing farm. We will explore: * The Architecture: How we orchestrate GitLab CI, Azure ephemeral environments, and Playwright to drive physical interactions. * The Hardware Hack: How a 200 CHF robotic claw replaced manual testing, allowing developers to "touch" hardware from anywhere in the world. * The Shift-Left Strategy: Moving from "praying for compatibility" to robust integration testing that catches bit-level errors before they ever hit the factory floor. * Scaling on a Budget: How a single working student scaled our setup to 20+ (and rising) automated test cells. Join us to see how "claws moving in the dark" turned hardware debugging from a nightmare into a breeze, and learn how to apply DevSecOps principles to the most stubborn, physical environments. **Alexander Friesen** Aexander is a **Lead IT Architect** with over a decade of experience in software architecture and technical leadership. He specializes in building and scaling modern ecosystems for major enterprises like **Swisscard** and **Siemens**. DevOps & Platform Engineering Highlights * **Platform Leadership:** Directed technical strategy for Siemens’ IoT flagship "BuildingX" and managed multi-million dollar budgets for large-scale SAFe trains. * **Automation & Compliance:** Expert in **DevSecOps**, achieving ISO27000 compliance through automated CI/CD pipelines and security scanning. * **Efficiency Gains:** Improved software team productivity by **30%** through the implementation of AI Ops and Internal Developer Platforms. * **Cloud Native Stack:** Certified **AWS Architect** with deep expertise in Kubernetes, Terraform, Serverless, and **Data Mesh** architectures. * **Global Teams:** Proven track record of leading cross-functional engineering teams across Switzerland, Germany, the USA, and India. **Beyond Agile: Structuring Organizations for Real Autonomy** Many organizations invest in agile methods, DevOps, and new technologies, and yet the desired impact on collaboration, accountability, and decision-making often fails to materialize. A key lever for change lies in how organizations are structured. This talk provides an introduction to Holacracy as a model for radical self-organization and places it within the broader landscape of organizational development. It explains what defines Holacracy, the principles behind it, and the problems it aims to address. The focus, however, is not solely on the organizational model. The talk also presents concrete tools and practices of self-organization, such as clear role definitions, structured decision-making processes, and transparent governance, that can be applied regardless of the organizational structure in place. **Lea Düker** * Since 2024: IT Project Manager and Scrum Master at digital agency Unic AG * 2021–2024: Project Manager and Deputy Head of IT at the Building Department of the City of Zurich * 2018–2021: Consultant for Process Management at Join GmbH * 2016–2018: Master's degree in Business Management with a specialization in Process Management **From Bottlenecks to Flow: OKRs, Value Stream Management, and Governance Done Right** In our session, we'll be delving into the advanced flow engineering practices we've implemented at KPMG CH for our Cloud Platform. These methods have truly transformed how we deliver outcomes—faster, safer, and with an even greater level of satisfaction. During the session, we'll take a closer look at how we leverage OKRs to align teams and drive strategic goals, and how Value Stream Management helps us optimize workflow and eliminate bottlenecks. Our robust Governance model will also be discussed, highlighting how we maintain compliance without sacrificing agility. Beyond sharing the technical details, we'll reflect on the lessons learned and valuable insights we've gained throughout our journey. Our goal is to provide actionable takeaways that will benefit the DevOps community and inspire organizations seeking to enhance their delivery pipelines and nurture a culture of continuous improvement. **Vasileios Konofaos** Head of Business Services CH Group Digital Vasileios Konofaos is a seasoned technology leader with more than 20 years of experience driving large‑scale software engineering, cloud infrastructure, and digital transformation initiatives. As Director of Business Services CH Group Digital at KPMG Switzerland, he leads high‑impact programs that advance innovation, operational excellence, and AI‑enabled capabilities across the organization. His career spans senior roles in global financial institutions and consulting firms, where he has successfully delivered complex projects in software development, automation, DevOps, and machine learning. Certified in Azure, ITIL, PMP, PRINCE2, and Scrum, Vasileios is recognized for his strategic mindset, strong leadership, and ability to empower teams to achieve exceptional results. He brings deep expertise in systems analysis, project delivery, and process improvement, consistently enabling organizations to scale technology solutions with quality and precision. Many thanks to our **sponsors**: * Catering and Location Sponsor: **KPMG** https://kpmg.com/

Are you working on a side hustle, launching your own app, or building an online business? If so, join our **Shipped Meetup!** This group is for **bootstrappers, side hustlers, and independent founders** looking to exchange ideas, get feedback, and support each other on the journey to building profitable businesses without venture capital. What we do each meetup: **\- Share success stories / progress** **\- Meet others via speed dating** **\- Present projects** **\- Ask questions** This isn’t a typical networking event, there are **no sales pitches, no fees, just real conversations and support** from like-minded entrepreneurs. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, join us for our next meetup! Let’s build a thriving indie community together. Looking forward to seeing you there! Also, feel free to join our socials using the links below👇

Ciao! L'appuntamento di aprile è per mercoledì 8 alle 19 con un altro interessante talk in presenza, sempre al [Politecnico di Milano](https://www.google.com/maps/place/45%C2%B028'41.3%22N+9%C2%B013'43.6%22E/@45.478127,9.228763,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d45.478127!4d9.228763?entry=ttu)! Questo mese testiamo un nuovo formato, quello del panel. Per questo motivo, questo mese 4 speaker diversi discuteranno e condivideranno il modo in cui usano l’AI al lavoro. L’AI per molte persone è uno degli alleati più importanti sul posto di lavoro: bisogna però saperla usare con criterio ed etica per ottenerne il meglio. Nello specifico, ecco chi sono i nostri speaker e di cosa parleranno: \- Dennis Ploetner: best practices per sfruttare l'AI nello sviluppo software \- Matteo Enna: come gestire i team non tecnici che desiderano approcciarsi al vibe coding in azienda \- Giovanni Invernizzi: come sfruttare l'AI per un'ottimizzazione avanzata delle web performance \- Stefano Minoia: come utilizzare l'AI per rendere un sito più accessibile Sai cosa c’è di bellissimo? Il fatto che, se vorrai, potrai partecipare anche tu al giro di tavolo condividendo (anche da remoto se ci segui in streaming) il modo in cui anche tu hai integrato l’AI nel tuo flusso di lavoro. Porta i tuoi successi, ma anche i tuoi dubbi e i vostri fallimenti, perchè alla fine community significa crescere l’un l’altro. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Saremo in diretta streaming Non puoi partecipare di persona? Noi non ti giudicheremo! :) Se vuoi, puoi seguirci anche in diretta streaming su YouTube. Il link sarà visibile solo una volta che avrai fatto la tua iscrizione all'evento. Durante la diretta, se vorrai, potrai intervenire anche tu usando una webcam e un microfono per dire la tua: basterà usare il link che verrà fornito via chat. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- I prossimi appuntamenti della community WordPress Checkout Summit La prima conferenza indipendente dal vivo per i professionisti di WooCommerce. 23-24 aprile a Palermo [https://checkoutsummit.com/](https://checkoutsummit.com/) WordCamp Torino 8-9 maggio a Torino [https://torino.wordcamp.org/2026/](https://torino.wordcamp.org/2026/) WordCamp Europe 4-6 giugno a Cracovia [https://europe.wordcamp.org/2026/](https://europe.wordcamp.org/2026/) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- In breve, ecco come sarà organizzata la serata: 19:00 Benvenuto + networking 19:20 Panel (di circa 50 minuti) 20:10 Domande e risposte 20:30 Fine; Chi vuole può continuare il networking in un bar o pizzeria vicino al luogo dell’evento. All’inizio dell’incontro faremo il conteggio per prenotare: per non creare disguidi conferma la presenza solo se sei sicuro di venire. Networking significa che ci sarà tempo per chiacchierare con chi partecipa e fare amicizia. Potresti trovare una persona interessante, un futuro cliente, un futuro fornitore o un nuovo partner di lavoro, chi può dirlo? Non riesci a venire, o devi dare la tua disdetta? Nessun rancore, sarà per la prossima. Ti chiediamo solo di farci sapere 24 ore prima così - liberiamo il tuo posto per altre persone. Vuoi essere speaker? Beh, nulla di più facile: Compila il modulo [cliccando qui](https://wpmilano.org/speaker-form/). Ti risponderemo per fornirti tutti i dettagli. Ci vediamo lì! 😉

**WALK THE TALK** Zurich Toastmasters is the place to be if you want to improve your public speaking, communication, and leadership skills. **Walk the Talk** offers a friendly and inspirational environment for all levels of public speaking experience. Guests and new members are always welcome! A typical meeting includes 1–3 prepared speeches by members, evaluations of the speeches, and Table Topics – impromptu speaking. This meeting is Hybrid. "You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart." John Ford DISCLAIMER: We may take pictures/videos of our events and share them online or on social media. If you do not wish to be in the pictures, please let us know before the meeting starts. We will do our best to respect your wishes.

**Beschreibung:** Suchst du ein Thai-Box Training in Zürich, das Spass macht und dich gleichzeitig fitter macht? Dann bist du hier genau richtig. In dieser kleinen Gruppe (max. 8 Personen) kombinieren wir: * Thai-Box Technik (Basics & Kombinationen) * Fitness & Conditioning * gemeinsames Training in entspannter Atmosphäre 👉 Einsteiger sind ausdrücklich willkommen. Du brauchst keine Vorerfahrung – wir starten gemeinsam und bauen alles Schritt für Schritt auf. Mein Ziel: Dir ein Training zu geben, bei dem du: * etwas Neues lernst * dich auspowerst * und mit einem guten Gefühl nach Hause gehst Trainingssprache ist Deutsch, ich kann aber auch auf Englisch unterstützen. 📍 Ort: Zürich Höngg (Meierhofplatz) 🕒 Mittwoch 18:00 👥 Max. 8 Teilnehmer 👉 Melde dich an und probier es aus. *** # 🔧 Meetup Group Description (ENGLISH) **Group Name:** Thai Boxing & Fitness Training Zurich (Beginners Welcome) *** **Description:** Looking for a Thai boxing training in Zurich that is fun and improves your fitness? Then this group is for you. In a small group setting (max. 8 people), we combine: * Thai boxing technique (basics & combinations) * fitness & conditioning * a relaxed and supportive training environment 👉 Beginners are very welcome. No prior experience needed – we build everything step by step. My goal is to give you a training where you: * learn something new * push your limits * and leave feeling great The training is mainly in German, but I can also support in English.

Map the World, Change the World. Join Our Mapathon! Got a laptop? Ready to make a difference? 💥 We're on a mission to create life-saving maps for disaster response, and we need YOU. No experience? No problem. Whether you're a mapping newbie or an OpenStreetMap Pro, you'll learn, collaborate, and help create maps that matter. What to bring? Your laptop (mouse = bonus points!) Why join? Learn cool mapping skills Make a real impact in crisis zones Meet like-minded change-makers Ready to map for good? Let’s do this.

Olivier Club and Fishman VC have launched a series of events for ambitious founders, investors and professionals in Zurich. What we do: In partnership with other VCs and accelerators we create an environment where founders make new connections, share experience and pitch to investors. How it goes: * Pre-selected founders pitch live * Investors & founders networking together * The best pitchers are chosen for further acceleration, PR in biggest media portals and access to before market solutions for collaboration with investors and founders. * Each attendee will be added to a private network of founders and investors. Who’s invited: Venture capitalists Angel Investors Startup founders Professionals Artists After 7 years of private events we are going public! Send your pitch deck to this email address after getting pitcher ticket: pitch@olivierclub.com

The **Digitec Galaxus Product Development Meet-Up** is back — this time diving into **recommender systems** with two talks bridging data science and engineering practice. **Talk 1: Insights from Building and Operating a Recommender System for Migros Supermarkets** *Max Nolte – Data Scientist & Team Lead at Supermarkt IT, Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund* When you think of a Migros supermarket, you don't usually think about recommender systems. Over the past four years, my team and I have built and operated the engine behind personalized Cumulus coupons and a few other digital touchpoints. I'll share how it works, why we invest in it at a brick‑and‑mortar retailer, and what we've learned, covering data, models, measurement, and the practical realities of running it day to day. **Talk 2: Recommendations at Digitec Galaxus — From Data Science to Engineering Practice** *Michael Weiss, Senior Software Engineer & Robert Rosenbach, Senior Data Scientist – Digitec Galaxus* How do you go from a promising model to a recommender system that is fast, scalable, and maintainable in production? We will walk through the Digitec Galaxus recommendation stack end to end: the engineering architecture that keeps recommendations snappy and reliable, and the data-science side of model training — what to optimize for, which input signals matter, and the trade-offs involved in both. The two presentations will take roughly a combined hour, leaving plenty of time for discussions, questions, and exchange afterwards over drinks and snacks. Whether you come from a software engineering, data science, product, or any other background — we'd love to have you join us!

**Got something you’re designing, experimenting with - or just looking to chat with other creatives?** **Then you’re invited to join us at sphères.** 🙂 We meet monthly to chat and connect in a relaxed, friendly setting. It’s a chance to meet new people, talk about what you’re working on, and be part of Zürich’s creative community - surrounded by like-minded people who just get it. PS: RSVPs are coming in from multiple platforms, which means the total number of sign-ups is likely higher than what you see here. 🥂 **Why swing by?** * Find new collaborators, clients, employers and friends * Swap ideas, get feedback, and share experiences * Meet in a cozy after-work drinks atmosphere * Join creatives from various fields and ages. 📍 **Where?** [sphères](https://share.google/iOZR7HY6DqyLDm2Kj), next to the Limmat river. \> Hardturmstrasse 66\, 8005 Zürich (Tram-Station Förrlibuckstrasse) ⏰ **When?** Every second Thursday of the month, starting at 6 PM / 18:00 Uhr 🔗 **Discord link** Get event reminders and connect with other members on Discord: ➡️ [discord.gg/PAyRBDhKkk](discord.gg/PAyRBDhKkk) —— **Who’s Visual Fields?** Visual Fields is a network of designers and creatives built for people to connect, support, and share with fellow experts. We have upcoming events in Zürich, Basel, and Luzern. [Check out upcoming events](https://www.visualfields.ch/) —— **Event policies** We have zero tolerance for discrimination or harassment. Be mindful not to make assumptions about gender, sexual orientation, or identity. Always ask for consent - for physical contact and work critique - and treat everyone and the space with respect. [All policies](https://experienc.es/policies) **Fine print (the friendly kind)** By joining, you agree that photos or videos taken at the event may be used by Visual Fields for promotional and communication purposes. See you soon!! 🤩

It all sounded straight forward. Then the project started... Join us for an informal evening with fellow Agile practitioners, Scrum Masters, project managers, coaches, and anyone working with change, delivery, or transformation. We’ll meet at a local pizzeria, have some good food, and talk about the things that usually come up once the theory meets reality — challenges, lessons learned, different approaches, and questions we’re still figuring out. Nothing formal, just a chance to exchange ideas, meet people from the community, and have interesting conversations. Because some of the best discussions don’t happen in meeting rooms. They happen in the second floor private room of a pizzeria. 🍕 **The venue:** Da Raffaele brings a slice of Naples to the heart of Zürich's Altstadt. Think 48-hour dough, a 500°C wood-fired oven, and an amazing pizza. Two minutes from Central, close to HB — easy for everyone coming from across the city or the S-Bahn.

Von **3D-Druckern** und **Laser Cuttern** über die **CNC-Fräse**, **Holzwerkstatt**, **Keramik-Projekte**, **vollautomatische Strickmaschinen**, **3D-Scanner** bis hin zur **Elektronikwerkstatt** – bei uns könnt ihr alles live erleben und ausprobieren. **Kurzeinführungen:** * **13:00 Uhr:** **3D-Druck –** Vom Modell zum fertigen Produkt in Minuten * **14:00 Uhr:** **Laser-Cutter in Action –** Flaschen gravieren * **13-21 UHR: Free-style**\- Das Fablab ist bis 21 Uhr geöffnet\, unsere Labmanager und Labmanaginnen zeigen euch gerne\, was immer euch interessiert\. **Apéro & Austausch:** Natürlich ist auch für das Wohlbefinden gesorgt, meldet euch an, damit wir genügend für den Apéro vorbereiten können. **Was läuft sonst noch im Fablab ?** Erfahrt mehr über unsere **Workshops** und wie ihr selbst Teil der Fablab-Community werden könnt. [Fablab Zürich Workshops](https://zurich.fablab.ch/events/categories/workshops/)

**[⚠️ >>Ticket needed (click here)<<](https://eventfrog.ch/en/p/dating/singles-party/cocktail-workshop-flirt-7438254895247975755.html) or** **[www.social-circle.ch](https://social-circle.ch/)** **Cocktail Night with Sami \| Ages 25–40 \| Shake\, Sip\, Connect \(SINGLES ONLY\)** Ready to mix your evening with something fun? Join us for a hands-on cocktail workshop led by Sami, our resident shaker-of-magic. You’ll learn to craft two signature drinks, pick up simple bar tricks, and taste flavors that might surprise you in the best way. You can stay after the workshop for food and drinks. For updates on this event please join our group: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/FoJN0DzRQgF232huSHiGOi](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FoJN0DzRQgF232huSHiGOi) This event is designed for people aged **25 to 40** who want to meet others in a relaxed setting. Think cozy atmosphere, fresh ingredients, and conversations that flow as easily as the drinks. **What to expect:** • A guided cocktail workshop with Sami • All ingredients and tools provided • You’ll create (and enjoy) one cocktail • A friendly group of people in the 25–40 age range • Easy, natural conversation Perfect for after-work explorers, social seekers, and anyone who likes their evenings with a little sparkle. Want more events like this join our newsletter: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/Hmm9DZP3wzaL8cXrtAAafw](https://chat.whatsapp.com/Hmm9DZP3wzaL8cXrtAAafw) Pictures might be taken, please let the host know if you do not want to be on them. Tickets are non refundable

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** GitHub Copilot is powerful, but what if you could scale from a solo AI assistant to an entire team of specialized agents working in parallel? This session introduces Squad: an open-source framework for multi-agent orchestration that lets you define teams of AI agents with specific roles, responsibilities, and expertise. We'll progress from Copilot basics to the Copilot CLI, explore how Agents add autonomy, and see how Instructions and Skills let you customize agent behavior. Then, the climax: a live demo where a Squad team of 3 agents (Lead, Developer, Tester) stands up and builds a working application in real-time, showcasing true multi-agent collaboration. Whether you're new to AI or exploring how to scale your use of Copilot, this session will show you what's possible when agents work as a team. **YouTube Link** TBD

Pay attention! We’re delaying a week for those of you who may be on Spring break and/or celebrating the holiday. Ok, no pancakes, but waffles-a-plenty. Join the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. Look for us upstairs!

Bring your Raspberry Pi, Arduino, microcontroller, or any other electronic project and join fellow electronics makers for a night of creativity and collaboration! This session is open forum to share your current projects—whether complete or in progress, it’s all interesting! Whether you’re deep into embedded systems, exploring new ideas, or just getting started, you’ll find a welcoming space to collaborate, share, and get inspired. **New to electronics or curious about tinkering?** You’re absolutely welcome. If you’re a beginner and want to experiment, I’ll have a couple of starter kits available so you can try things out—whether that’s blinking your first LED, putting something on a display, or experimenting with simple sensors. No pressure and no experience required—just an interest in learning and building. While we continue to pursue a more permanent venue for this Meetup, we’ll be using public library facilities based on availability. This session will be at the Worthington Park Library in the Olentangy Meeting Room.

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:** 1. The dates listed for this series are about 95% reliable. We are completing our 2026 schedule as we speak, so minor adjustments are still occurring. 2. Each class in this series has an attendance fee, though this first offering is free on a first-come, first-served basis. 3. Each class, from BOTH a sign-up and fee perspective, is a separate entity. **Introduction:** HTML5 is the foundational technology for modern web development, serving as the standard markup language for structuring and presenting content on the World Wide Web. Developed through a collaboration between the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG), HTML5 provides a robust system of elements (tags) that tell a browser how to display text, images, and multimedia in a clear and meaningful way. It works in concert with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for presentation and JavaScript for interactivity, forming the core technology stack for virtually all websites and many web applications today. One of the significant advancements of HTML5 is the introduction of powerful new features and elements designed to improve functionality and simplify development. Key additions include native multimedia support via the \ and \ tags, allowing developers to embed media without third-party plugins. It also offers new form controls for better user input, such as date and email types, and introduces web storage capabilities to store data offline for enhanced performance. These features streamline the process of building rich, interactive web experiences. A significant focus of HTML5 is enhanced semantics and better structural organization of content. New semantic elements like , , , , and \ provide meaningful structure to documents, which aids in search engine optimization (SEO) and improves accessibility for assistive technologies. These elements define different parts of a webpage (e.g., a header for the top, a nav for navigation links, a footer for the bottom), making the code more readable and understandable for both developers and machines. This emphasis on clear structure helps in creating more logical and maintainable websites. Developing websites in today's competitive environment requires taking advantage of every technique you can to get the maximum exposure possible. Our HTML5 class will not only show you what's new in the HTML specification, but also the best way to develop optimized web pages that get the attention your client and/or company requires. **The breakdown of the four-class series is as follows:** **Class 1: Introduction to Web Structure and Basic HTML5** This class introduces the core concepts of web development, the history of HTML, and the fundamental structure of an HTML5 document. * **Topics**: * **Web Architecture Overview**: How browsers, servers, and web pages interact. * **HTML Fundamentals**: Understanding elements, tags, and attributes. * **Basic Document Structure**: Using !DOCTYPE html, html, head, and body. * **Text Formatting**: Headings (h1 to h6), paragraphs (p), and text-level semantics (e.g., strong, em, br). * **Lists and Links**: Creating ordered (ol) and unordered (ul) lists, and linking between pages using anchor tags (a). * **Activity**: Students create a basic personal webpage containing text, a list of hobbies, and a link to an external website. **Class 2: Semantic HTML5 and Multimedia Integration** Class 2 focuses on modern HTML5 elements that provide meaning (semantics) to content, improving accessibility and search engine optimization. It also covers adding images and multimedia. * **Topics**: * **Semantic Elements**: Understanding and implementing elements like header, footer, nav, section, and article. * **Images**: Adding images using the img tag and attributes like src, alt, width, and height. * **Multimedia**: Embedding audio and video content using the audio and video tags. * **File and Folder Structure**: Best practices for organizing project files and managing file paths. * **Activity**: Students refactor their Class 1 project to use a proper semantic layout and add an image and a link to a video file. **Class 3: Forms and User Input** This session is dedicated to building interactive HTML5 forms, which are essential for capturing user data and input. * **Topics**: * **Form Basics**: Using the form element, action and method attributes. * **Input Types**: Exploring various input types (e.g., text, password, checkbox, radio, date, submit). * **Form Elements**: Utilizing label, textarea, select, option, and button. * **Client-side Validation**: Implementing HTML5 validation attributes like required, minlength, and pattern. * **Activity**: Students build a complete contact form with different input fields, radio buttons, and basic HTML5 validation. **Class 4: Introduction to CSS3 and Basic Styling** The final class introduces Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to style the HTML content and make the web pages visually appealing and accessible. * **Topics**: * **CSS Fundamentals**: The role of CSS, selectors, properties, and values. * **Integrating CSS**: Using inline, internal, and external style sheets. * **The Box Model**: Understanding margin, padding, border, and content for basic layout. * **Basic Styling**: Changing colors, fonts, and text alignment. * **Accessibility Basics**: Identifying principles of web design usability and accessibility, including ARIA labels. * **Activity**: Students apply an external CSS file to their Class 3 form project to style the layout, colors, and fonts, culminating in a well-structured and styled webpage.

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:** 1. The dates listed for this series are about 95% reliable. We are completing our 2026 schedule as we speak, so minor adjustments are still occurring. 2. Each class in this series has an attendance fee, though this first offering is free on a first-come, first-served basis. 3. Each class, from BOTH a sign-up and fee perspective, is a separate entity. **Introduction:** HTML5 is the foundational technology for modern web development, serving as the standard markup language for structuring and presenting content on the World Wide Web. Developed through a collaboration between the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG), HTML5 provides a robust system of elements (tags) that tell a browser how to display text, images, and multimedia in a clear and meaningful way. It works in concert with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for presentation and JavaScript for interactivity, forming the core technology stack for virtually all websites and many web applications today. One of the significant advancements of HTML5 is the introduction of powerful new features and elements designed to improve functionality and simplify development. Key additions include native multimedia support via the \ and \ tags, allowing developers to embed media without third-party plugins. It also offers new form controls for better user input, such as date and email types, and introduces web storage capabilities to store data offline for enhanced performance. These features streamline the process of building rich, interactive web experiences. A significant focus of HTML5 is enhanced semantics and better structural organization of content. New semantic elements like , , , , and \ provide meaningful structure to documents, which aids in search engine optimization (SEO) and improves accessibility for assistive technologies. These elements define different parts of a webpage (e.g., a header for the top, a nav for navigation links, a footer for the bottom), making the code more readable and understandable for both developers and machines. This emphasis on clear structure helps in creating more logical and maintainable websites. Developing websites in today's competitive environment requires taking advantage of every technique you can to get the maximum exposure possible. Our HTML5 class will not only show you what's new in the HTML specification, but also the best way to develop optimized web pages that get the attention your client and/or company requires. **The breakdown of the four-class series is as follows:** **Class 1: Introduction to Web Structure and Basic HTML5** This class introduces the core concepts of web development, the history of HTML, and the fundamental structure of an HTML5 document. * **Topics**: * **Web Architecture Overview**: How browsers, servers, and web pages interact. * **HTML Fundamentals**: Understanding elements, tags, and attributes. * **Basic Document Structure**: Using !DOCTYPE html, html, head, and body. * **Text Formatting**: Headings (h1 to h6), paragraphs (p), and text-level semantics (e.g., strong, em, br). * **Lists and Links**: Creating ordered (ol) and unordered (ul) lists, and linking between pages using anchor tags (a). * **Activity**: Students create a basic personal webpage containing text, a list of hobbies, and a link to an external website. **Class 2: Semantic HTML5 and Multimedia Integration** Class 2 focuses on modern HTML5 elements that provide meaning (semantics) to content, improving accessibility and search engine optimization. It also covers adding images and multimedia. * **Topics**: * **Semantic Elements**: Understanding and implementing elements like header, footer, nav, section, and article. * **Images**: Adding images using the img tag and attributes like src, alt, width, and height. * **Multimedia**: Embedding audio and video content using the audio and video tags. * **File and Folder Structure**: Best practices for organizing project files and managing file paths. * **Activity**: Students refactor their Class 1 project to use a proper semantic layout and add an image and a link to a video file. **Class 3: Forms and User Input** This session is dedicated to building interactive HTML5 forms, which are essential for capturing user data and input. * **Topics**: * **Form Basics**: Using the form element, action and method attributes. * **Input Types**: Exploring various input types (e.g., text, password, checkbox, radio, date, submit). * **Form Elements**: Utilizing label, textarea, select, option, and button. * **Client-side Validation**: Implementing HTML5 validation attributes like required, minlength, and pattern. * **Activity**: Students build a complete contact form with different input fields, radio buttons, and basic HTML5 validation. **Class 4: Introduction to CSS3 and Basic Styling** The final class introduces Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to style the HTML content and make the web pages visually appealing and accessible. * **Topics**: * **CSS Fundamentals**: The role of CSS, selectors, properties, and values. * **Integrating CSS**: Using inline, internal, and external style sheets. * **The Box Model**: Understanding margin, padding, border, and content for basic layout. * **Basic Styling**: Changing colors, fonts, and text alignment. * **Accessibility Basics**: Identifying principles of web design usability and accessibility, including ARIA labels. * **Activity**: Students apply an external CSS file to their Class 3 form project to style the layout, colors, and fonts, culminating in a well-structured and styled webpage.

**The Data-Driven Brand: Using Analytics to Shape Perception** Can you use analytics to improve tacos? This being CBUSDAW, we think the answer is probably “yes”, but we’re not sure how to implement or test this theory. For our April meetup we’ve got Sara Kear, CMO of Condado Tacos, to investigate this delicious question. Sara will explore how she blends quantitative data and qualitative customer feedback to shape brand positioning and drive business decisions. We all know that marketing and analytics go way beyond attribution. Sara will show how Condado uses customer insights to inform product and pricing strategy. She’ll also highlight how Condado leverages customer feedback at scale to influence operational priorities, positioning marketing as the voice of the customer across the organization. In the last 12 years Condado has gone from one location in Columbus to 52 locations across 10 states, so we’re guessing there’s more to that growth than really good guac (though the guac probably helps). Ultimately, this talk focuses on the intersection of art and science—using data to inform creativity and build a brand that resonates with customers in a measurable way. **About Our Speaker** Sara Kear is Chief Marketing Officer at Condado Tacos, where she oversees brand, restaurant design, menu and pricing strategy, off-premise including catering, and customer data strategy. Since joining in 2021, she has helped grow the brand from 19 to 52 locations while building a data-driven marketing organization focused on loyalty and customer insights. Condado has since been named to the Inc. 5000, recognized as Breakout Retailer by Chain Store Age, and consistently ranked among FastCasual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

AI is changing how art is made. But when does it stop being your work and start being the machine’s? This month we're going to be doing a panel with with digital image, music, and written word artists, talking about at what point, while using AI in the creation process, does the work become not the artist creation? We encourage audience participation during this event that will be moderated by Chris Slee. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.transformlabs.com/services) Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/55umjqta)