Software Product Management

Welcome to Elixir Melbourne's monthly meetup. Where we go over Elixir ecosystem news, listen to great talks, and socialise with other Elixir developers of all levels. We’re rebooting the meetup after a hiatus with new (and old) organisers, a new venue and emphasis on more time to socialise. There are still speaking spots open. If you want to talk about anything Elixir related, get in touch. **Agenda** * 6:00pm - Arrive, socialise * 6:30pm - Welcome; introduction; “who’s hiring” pitches. * 6:45pm - Josh Price - Ash Framework * 7:15pm - Food, socialise * 7:45pm - Maybe another talk (speaking spot open!) * 8:15pm - Finish up and head to Saving Grace downstairs (32 Church Ln, Melbourne, VIC 3000) **Sponsor** Huge thanks to [SuperAPI](https://superapi.com.au/) for catering and venue.

You've built the POC. Leadership loved it. Now what? The gap between a working AI demo and a production system is where most projects quietly die. This event tackles the hard part, the decisions that come after the proof of concept gets the green light. Hosted by Zendesk! **What we're covering:** 🏗️ Architecture decisions that don't show up in tutorials when to build, when to buy, when to stitch things together 💰 Cost and efficiency trade-offs, what it actually costs to run AI at scale, and how teams are managing it 🔒 Governance and guardrails, who owns the model in production, and what happens when it breaks 🎤 Talks, panel, and Q&A from practitioners who've shipped AI into production, not just theorised about it **Our panel of experts:** * Darragh Kennedy, Director - Software Engineering, Zendesk * Fernando Mourão, Head of Responsible AI, Seek * Brad Ryan, Chief AI Officer, i-screen, Ex AI Lead - AWS * Romina Sharifpour, AI Engineering Lead, CBA **Details:** 📅 Thursday 4 June 2026 🕕 6:00 – 8:30pm 📍 Zendesk Office Level 13/550 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000 **Format:** Talks + Panel + Q&A (6:00–7:30pm) → Networking & drinks (7:30–8:30pm) This event is part of AI Week Melbourne (June 1–7) and is run in partnership with Web Directions / AI Engineer Melbourne. Whether you're an engineer wrestling with inference costs, a leader trying to get your AI strategy past the pilot stage, or just curious about what production AI actually looks like, this one's for you. Spots are limited. RSVP to secure yours.

You've built the POC. Leadership loved it. Now what? The gap between a working AI demo and a production system is where most projects quietly die. This event tackles the hard part, the decisions that come after the proof of concept gets the green light. Hosted by Zendesk! **What we're covering:** 🏗️ Architecture decisions that don't show up in tutorials when to build, when to buy, when to stitch things together 💰 Cost and efficiency trade-offs, what it actually costs to run AI at scale, and how teams are managing it 🔒 Governance and guardrails, who owns the model in production, and what happens when it breaks 🎤 Talks, panel, and Q&A from practitioners who've shipped AI into production, not just theorised about it **Our panel of experts:** * Darragh Kennedy, Director - Software Engineering, Zendesk * Fernando Mourão, Head of Responsible AI, Seek * Brad Ryan, Chief AI Officer, i-screen, Ex AI Lead - AWS * Romina Sharifpour, AI Engineering Lead, CBA **Details:** 📅 Thursday 4 June 2026 🕕 6:00 – 8:30pm 📍 Zendesk Office Level 13/550 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000 **Format:** Talks + Panel + Q&A (6:00–7:30pm) → Networking & drinks (7:30–8:30pm) This event is part of AI Week Melbourne (June 1–7) and is run in partnership with Web Directions / AI Engineer Melbourne. Whether you're an engineer wrestling with inference costs, a leader trying to get your AI strategy past the pilot stage, or just curious about what production AI actually looks like, this one's for you. Spots are limited. RSVP to secure yours.

#### ***Thursday Night Improv* is the funniest show of the week in Melbourne, bringing together the city’s most talented improvisers for a fast-paced, unpredictable night of comedy. Every show is completely made up on the spot, packed with big laughs, wild ideas, and moments you’ll never see again. Come along and watch Melbourne’s best improvisers create something hilarious out of absolutely nothing!**

We’re excited to bring our community together again — this time with a focus on **Building resilient AI**. As LLM-powered applications move from experimentation to production, a new challenge emerges: **how do we secure what we don’t fully understand yet?** In this session, we’ll explore two critical layers of AI defense—**protection** and **proactive testing**—through real-world practices and practical demos. **Topics** **1\. Shielding your LLMs with AWS Bedrock Guardrails** Ever felt like deploying an LLM is a bit like letting a genius but unpredictable intern talk to your customers? Join me as we explore how to move past the unregulated nature of unregulated AI using AWS Bedrock Guardrails. We’ll dive into the six pillars of AI safety and deploying guardrails to build AI that isn't just smart, but is fundamentally trustworthy and brand-safe. **About the speaker** [Maitreyi Singh](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maitreyisingh/) is a Data Scientist at [REA Group](https://www.realestate.com.au/), currently working on developing AI agents and intelligent systems. She has experience in Generative AI and enjoys exploring innovative applications of AI in real-world solutions. Outside of her professional work, Maitreyi enjoys painting as a creative hobby. **2\. Red Team Your LLM App Before the Bad Guys Do** As LLM-powered apps become more common, they're also becoming bigger targets. Prompt injection, jailbreaks, and harmful content exploits are real threats — and most developers don't discover them until it's too late. In this talk, we'll cover why guardrails are essential for any production LLM app, and why red teaming is one of the most effective ways to uncover vulnerabilities before bad actors do. We'll then put theory into practice with a live demo: a vibe-coded AI app on Amazon Bedrock, attacked using an open source red teaming tool — first without guardrails, then with them. The difference will speak for itself. **About the speaker** [Vanessa](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-kong-8069601a7/) is a Senior Product Security Engineer at [REA Group](https://www.realestate.com.au/) with five years of experience spanning cloud infrastructure security, security tooling and automation, and AI security. She specialised in building secure systems end-to-end, automating security workflows, wiring up tools to catch issues earlier in the pipeline, and exploring the evolving security challenges that come with AI-powered applications. She loves getting into the weeds of how things break — and helping people build them more securely. **Agenda** 5:30pm – Food and networking 6:00pm – Presentation 1. Shielding your LLMs with AWS Bedrock Guardrails 6:30pm – Presentation 2. Red Team Your LLM App Before the Bad Guys Do 7:00pm – Networking We’re incredibly grateful to our sponsor — [REA group](https://www.rea-group.com/) for supporting our community and making this event possible. Join us for an evening of learning, meaningful conversations, and great company, we can’t wait to see you there!

GOOD VIBES IMPROV JAM (Free!) Jump up onstage and get silly with us in a super relaxed, low-pressure environment where you can unleash your inner clown. It’s the most energetic place to be each week so bring your friends, or come make a bunch of new ones! After the Jam, everyone gets a free ticket to our show, ‘Thursday Night Improv’ straight after. We’ve got a fully stocked bar as well as a popcorn machine!

Smashing! Try something new Thursday Interactive workshop - Add power to your presentation. Why and how to activate the mind of an audience! Serious about improving your leadership - **Why mess, come to the best** Why is Smashing different to other speaking clubs? Just one member's thoughts, "The fun/laughs factor is definitely a point of difference. We keep it moving with high standards so it’s a nice balance. Too strict makes it tense and boring, too loose and we can lose the energy/commercial feel. SmashSpeak's vibe's in the sweet spot." **Free parking** close: O'Connell and Cobden streets **IMPORTANT: Be on time, as doors close when the show starts** “Proudly Australian" – Free-flowing teamwork, greater good focus, sharing the stage, etc Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth St (Opposite Queen Vic Market) Level 1, Purple Room (End of corridor) More to come...

It's Jugger time! Get on down to Hawthorn for fun, sun, exercise, and silly shenanigans! * ✅ Free to attend * ⚔️ Jugger Equipment is supplied * 🍜 Post-training social lunch - all welcome * ➡️ [Find us on Discord](https://discord.gg/WHnMyk56Cu) Jugger is an exciting, mixed-gender soft combat sport. Two teams use a selection of padded foam spars to tag opponents as they aim to put the jugg (the game ball) into their opponent's goal. **Watch Jugger being played in [this excellent short demo video](https://vimeo.com/28592980).** Jugger Melbourne training sessions include both full games of jugger, as well as a variety of training drills designed to promote **teamwork, communication, exercise, health and fitness, and teach core game skills.** After training we head across to Glenferrie Rd for lunch and socializing, which you are welcome (and encouraged!) to join. **‍🏃‍♀️‍➡️ New Player Info / Who Can Join** New players are always welcome! Our experienced coaches will teach you basics to get you and and swinging in no time Jugger is easy to pickup the basics while deep to master. We have a minimum age policy of 16 years (please note, anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian), but other than that we welcome anyone of all fitness levels. Jugger is a great way to keep active, and a fun way to meet new people in a friendly and inclusive community! **👟 How to Join a Session and What to Bring** Joining is simple - just show up! RSVPing on Meetup or Discord is a big help as it helps us plan around expected numbers. You are also welcome to bring along any interested friends and family. **⚔️ Jugger equipment is supplied.** We have a collection of gear to loan out to new players. Bring a water bottle (there is a tap nearby), sunscreen, and wear comfortable clothes and shoes for running around in - and that you don't mind getting a bit dirty! Recommend but not required items include: sunglasses, football boots, kneepads, and gloves if you have them. You don't need any of these to get started, but you may find you want them if you become a regular. **✅ Are there any costs are involved?** Our training sessions are **free to attend** as often as you like, we are essentially just a group of friends that meet for training and socializing on the weekend. The Australian Jugger League has a voluntary annual membership that helps to support the sport (including maintaining equipment and paying for Meetup), and we encourage people to join once they become a regular attendee or begin attending tournaments. However there's no obligation so spend any money when you're first trying it out or just attending casually. **➡️ External Links** We organise our regular players through our Discord group and their attendance is not often represented in the Meetup attendance numbers (we use Meetup to reach out to new people). Events are also (though less regularly) posted to Facebook, while event photos and videos are shared on our Instagram. * [Join our Discord](https://discord.gg/WHnMyk56Cu) * [Jugger Melbourne on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/groups/JuggerMelbourne) * [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/jugger_melbourne/) * [Australian Jugger League website](https://www.jugger.au/) \*\* See you on Sunday \*\*

**Online Speed Dating for Mature North Melbourne Singles** Live on Zoom. Real conversations. Local people who value genuine connection and traditional dating. **Pick your age group to register:** - Ages 18-32: [Click to Register](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=500.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=North%20Melbourne&groupurlname=society-of-lively-retirees-socializing-together&ar=18-32&face_v=2.0) - Ages 30-46: [Click to Register](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=500.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=North%20Melbourne&groupurlname=society-of-lively-retirees-socializing-together&ar=30-46&face_v=2.0) - Ages 40-58: [Click to Register](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=500.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=North%20Melbourne&groupurlname=society-of-lively-retirees-socializing-together&ar=40-58&face_v=2.0) - Ages 55+: [Click to Register](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=500.0&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=North%20Melbourne&groupurlname=society-of-lively-retirees-socializing-together&ar=55+&face_v=2.0) RSVP alone does not hold your spot. Register through the link above and complete the quick personality quiz. For mature singles who appreciate meaningful connections and are serious about finding the right person. Host-guided. All ages welcome. Mutual matches shared after the event.

**\*\*\*RSVP PROCESS - CRITICAL INFO\*\*\*** Please be aware, we don't use the Meetup website to take RSVPs, so you will need to register on this link to lock in your place (bookings essential) - [https://propdev.info/uMKh](https://propdev.info/uMKh) We run events most weekends around Australia so you can attend either physically in your local area, or live-stream to any event around the country. **In-Person:** 1:30pm (Melbourne time) to 'Mingle With The Expert' **Virtual:** 2pm (Melbourne time) **INTRODUCING THE INDUSTRY EXPERT:** *Get Council Onside From Day One! SUHO (Alison Fenton)* You’ve got a great site. The numbers stack. You’re ready to push ahead. Then council hits you with Environmentally Sustainable Design requirements you didn’t fully see coming. Different rules. Different reports. Different expectations depending on the council. Suddenly, what should be a straightforward planning approval turns into a maze of consultants, conflicting advice, and delays. Now you’re scrambling. Plans need to be reworked. Reports need to be redone. Costs start creeping up. And worst of all? Time blows out… putting your entire deal at risk. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. This is exactly where most mum-and-dad developers get caught. They bring in ESD too late. They assume one report will cover everything. They miss simple, low-cost wins that councils are actually looking for. And it ends up costing them time, money, and momentum. That’s why we’ve brought in **Alison Fenton** from **SUHO**. In her session: You will learn how to cut through the noise and get this right from the start. So instead of delays and redesigns… you get smoother approvals and faster progress to building. Here’s what she’ll break down for you: • How to integrate ESD early (and why it changes everything) • Exactly what reports your site needs and what it doesn’t • The 10 Key Sustainable Development Categories and the easy wins most developers miss • How to align planning approval with your building permit from day one Walk away knowing how to simplify ESD, avoid costly mistakes, and keep your project moving forward. Because the developers who get this right? They don’t just get approvals faster. They build better projects and keep control of their deals. **INTRODUCING THE REAL DEAL:** *1 Into 4 Townhouses (Vijay Ramasundaram)* *720m2, Glenroy, Victoria* One Site. Four Townhouses. Maximum Upside. You’ve found a site that works. The numbers stack up. You’ve got a clear plan… maybe a simple 1 into 2. Safe. Straightforward. Then reality kicks in. The market shifts. Feasibilities change. What once looked like a solid deal suddenly feels like it’s leaving money on the table. If you’ve been there, you’re not alone. That’s exactly what **Vijay Ramasundaram** faced on this project. The difference? He didn’t lock himself into the original plan. He stayed flexible, reassessed the numbers, and adapted his strategy to suit the market. What started as a conservative approach evolved into a 1 into 4 townhouse development unlocking the site’s full potential with multiple exit strategies built in from day one. In this session, Vijay will walk you through: • How to secure a site with a clear strategy while keeping your options open • Why avoiding emotional attachment to your first plan can dramatically improve your outcome • Reassessing feasibility as market conditions shift • Turning a “good” deal into a great one by maximising the site’s flexibility If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re getting the most out of your site, this is the session that will challenge how you think about your next deal. Practical. Strategic. Focused on real outcomes. Don’t miss this Real Deal session. This is your chance to talk property with other enthusiasts! See you all soon!

Do you live in the Southern suburbs? Want to explore what the Southern suburbs has to offer? Or are you just interested to catch-up with like-minded people? Once a month Steph hosts our Southern socials. It is a great opportunity to meet others. Our emphasis is on fun whilst helping and supporting each other. The socials include drinks and chats, casual coffees, dinners and other activities suggested by members from time to time. Our socials are informal and open to all. We pay for own food and drinks individually and there is no charge for the organisation of the events. We hope to see you!

## 🤝 Host Information A co-hosted event by ProductTank Columbus & Women in Product Columbus 💡 About the Workshop AI adoption is stalling across organizations — not because of a lack of motivation or tools, but because it's fundamentally a behavior design challenge. This hands-on workshop applies proven Behavior Design models and methods to help you move from a vague organizational wish to boost AI adoption to 3-5 concrete, testable interventions you can act on starting tomorrow. Whether you're a product manager, on a product team, or just someone trying to get AI to actually stick at work, you'll leave with a clear picture of what's worth focusing on, what to ignore, and how to drive real, sustained adoption — no guesswork required. 🛠️ What to Bring Laptop: Fully charged and ready to go. AI Assistant: Have your favorite AI assistant pulled up. (Dom will be using Claude, but feel free to use whichever assistant you prefer!) 🍕 Logistics & Perks Food & Drink: Pizza and drinks provided! Parking: Plenty of free spaces available on-site. ###

**Hello Columbus!** **The community is buzzing and growing well. We are thrilled to bring our fourth BrowserStack QA Meetup on Thursday, July 9th!** We are creating a space for deeper insights, meaningful connections, and a vibe you won't want to miss. **What to expect:** * **Connect:** Network with Columbus' top engineering and QA minds. * **Learn:** Real-world tactics and trends you can use immediately. * **Enjoy:** Food, drinks, and great community spirit. **Agenda** * **Two Roads Diverged in a Wood: Docker Compose vs. Kubernetes** by **[Doug Reeder](https://www.linkedin.com/in/pdouglasreeder/)** **RSVP Essential:** Space is limited, and we want to ensure a great experience for everyone. **RSVP now to secure your spot!** 📍 **Venue:** Leading EDJE, 6515 Longshore Loop, Suite 300, Dublin, OH 43017 📍 **Free Parking:** 6725 Longshore Street, Dublin, OH 43017 📅 **Date & Time:** July 9, 6:00 PM **Stay Connected!** Want to continue the conversation beyond the meetup? Join our **BrowserStack Discord Server** to get updates, connect with fellow QA professionals, and be part of an ongoing discussion. **Don’t miss out—click below to join!** 🔗 [\[](https://discord.gg/6SdCyWTNyW)**[Join the BrowserStack Discord Server](https://discord.gg/6SdCyWTNyW)**[\]](https://discord.gg/6SdCyWTNyW) **A Few Notes:** ✅ This is an **in-person event** ✅ **RSVP does not guarantee a seat** – A confirmation email will be sent one day before the event. **TALK ABSTRACT:** Docker Compose and Kubernetes are two of the most popular tools for running containerized applications. Their feature lists are similar. Architects and senior developers need to know how their different paradigms lead to unexpectedly different experiences in production.

**The Behavior Gap: Where Products Win or Lose** Teams today have more data than ever, and yet many still struggle to understand why customers adopt, engage with, or abandon their products. Teams sprint, ship faster, and chase more signals… all while metrics stall and confidence drops. The missing piece isn’t more data. It’s often the behavioral insight between the metrics, explaining why the numbers move in the first place. Dashboards can tell you what customers did, but understanding why they did it (and how to influence what they do next) requires a deeper blend of insights. This session is about closing that gap. Drawing from real-world experience designing and scaling products as [ZoCo Design](https://zocodesign.com/)’s CEO, [Lacey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) will share how to cut through the noise and identify the insights that actually change behavior—moving people, and moving metrics. You’ll learn: * Why understanding customer behavior is a quant and qual challenge * How to spot the signals that actually predict behavior change * Where AI accelerates insight, and where it creates distraction * How to get meaningfully closer to customers, without adding more tools This talk reframes how to evaluate performance and identify what levers actually improve it, helping your team to make smarter bets with greater confidence. Every meaningful outcome is driven by behavior change. And when you know how to design for behavior, you stop guessing, and start building things that work. **About Our Speaker** [Lacey Picazo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) is the Founder and CEO of ZoCo, a healthcare product studio that turns complex, high-stakes ideas into products that drive real-world adoption. She partners with healthcare organizations to uncover critical care delivery insights, focus product strategy through behavior design, and build solutions that patients and providers actually use. 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)

Get ready for a Picnic, this is our social and member appreciation event for the year! Feel free to bring family, but be sure to reach out with the number of attendees, so we can provide food for everyone. There will of course be food, music, games and fun! Event is held rain or shine, we have a covered shelter house reserved for the event. Agenda --- Moderators Kimberly Deal - Columbus Atlassian User Group Leader Kevin Stanley - Columbus Atlassian User Group Leader Greg Sprowls - Columbus Atlassian Community Leader Hosted By Kimberly Deal, Atlassian User Group Leader Kevin Stanley, Chief Everything Greg Sprowls, Agility Lead --- Global Partner Atlassian (http://atlassian.com) Millions of users globally rely on Atlassian products every day for improving software development, project management, collaboration, and code quality. For over a decade, Atlassian customers have come together to network, share ideas, solve problems, and find new ways to use Atlassian products. Today, more than 15,000 people take part in Atlassian community events in more than 30 countries. --- Complete your event RSVP here: https://ace.atlassian.com/events/details/atlassian-columbus-presents-annual-columbus-ace-summer-picnic/.

You're invited to Indiana D365 User Group Meeting Wed Jun 10, 2026 2-4 PM Agenda (sessions may change time slots before the meeting.) 2 Welcome 2:10 Stratgies for successful testing - Carla Teasdale from Wilmuth Solutions 2:50 Building Power Apps in an AI world using Claude Code demo - Natalie Roberts from Leaf Software Solutions 3:30 Everything you need to know about Quality in BC - Derek Bohman, BC Consultant 4:00 Closing Notes 4:10-5 Networking Social at Upland Brewing at Clay Terrace (walk over) Link Information to join remotely below [https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YWRkNmQ1NWMtN2E0Mi00ZDU4LThmNzMtMDdlODMwMDNkMGMz%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22b4c9f32e-da17-4ded-9c95-ce9da38f25d9%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2267db4a27-1865-4ea7-bb20-a28137a8aa56%22%7](https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YWRkNmQ1NWMtN2E0Mi00ZDU4LThmNzMtMDdlODMwMDNkMGMz%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22b4c9f32e-da17-4ded-9c95-ce9da38f25d9%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2267db4a27-1865-4ea7-bb20-a28137a8aa56%22%7d) Tap on the link or paste it in a browser to join

Topic to be announced. **THANK YOU** *Franklin University* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Franklin University*, please visit their website: https://www.franklin.edu/ **DIRECTIONS** Franklin University Fisher Hall 300 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43215 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxjBA2hUmS5qrvhq8 Parking is FREE! Please park in Lot C in front of Fisher Hall. See attached map. NOTE: Map the address only. When mapping with Google Maps it may use the Fisher Hall at OSU, which is NOT correct. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

QA or the Highway is a one-day, affordable, regional, professional conference featuring real-world experience and thought leadership in the QA and testing industry. This is a ticketed event please register here: https://www.qaorthehwy.com/ Featured Keynote Speakers: **Matthew-Hope Eland** **(Wizard at Leading EDJE)** \- An AI Specialist and Wizard at Leading EDJE who is known to teach software engineering\, AI\, and data science concepts in the most ridiculous ways possible\. Matt has used machine learning to settle debates over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie\, reinforcement learning to drive the behavior of digital squirrels\, data analytics to suggest improvements to his favorite TV show\, and AI agents to play board games and create an AI agent with the personality of a dog\. Matt is the author of "Data Science in \.NET with Polyglot Notebooks" and "Refactoring with C\#" as well as several LinkedIn Learning courses\. Matt helps organize the Central Ohio \.NET Developer Group\, runs several blogs and a YouTube channel\, has a Master’s of Science in Data Analytics\, and is a current Microsoft MVP in AI and \.NET\. **Tatyana Arbouzova** **(CEO at Innovate QA)** \- Tatyana Arbouzova is an engineering and business leader with a strong background in Quality Engineering across multiple industries\, including Big Tech\, Healthcare\, and Entertainment\. She has held leadership roles at world\-class companies such as Microsoft\, VMware\, Disney\, and The Pokémon Company International\, where she focused on building quality\-driven cultures and scaling teams to deliver high\-impact products\. With decades of experience\, Tatyana has helped organizations transform their quality practices so teams can deliver software efficiently\, confidently\, and with measurable business outcomes\. Today\, Tatyana advises software companies on adopting AI to optimize quality practices and improve how software is delivered at scale\. She is also a passionate community builder and the founder of Innovate QA\, a thriving Seattle\-based community and conference for quality professionals\.