Design Groups Melbourne

Journey Management: an emerging practice that’s changing the way we lead

It’s safe to say that by now, Journey Mapping is familiar territory for many organisations. Yet what actually happens to Journey Maps and Service Blueprints once the project or workshop ends? The hours of synthesis, the pain points, and the hard-won customer insights are often archived in hidden folders or left on walls as wallpaper, rarely referred to in daily decisions. They become static relics as the organisation moves on. Journey Management is an emerging global management practice that turns static maps into a dynamic information system that acts as the backbone of operational and strategic decision-making. But how does an organisation make the shift from static maps to an active management practice? Join MDT for this exciting panel of speakers who talk about how they are developing and scaling their Journey Management practice. **What you'll hear:** ✨ **The Global State of Journey Management 2026:** Which organisations are investing in Journey Management around the world, the reasons why and a case for Strategic Service Design as a leadership capability ✨ **Creating a living management information system:** The challenges associated with building a living information system, going from static to dynamic maps ✨ **Scaling practices across the organisation:** What leaders are required to do to scale this practice across different teams effectively ✨ **Case studies from practitioners:** Key lessons from practitioners as they formalise and scale their practice. **📌 The details:** * Date: Thursday 17th September * Host: Melbourne Design Thinking Meetup x Natural Velocity Innovation Centre * Refreshments included: Pizza and fizz! Our Speakers: **Anna Yip** *Design Leader \| Co\-Author of This is Journey Management \(the book\) and Lead Researcher of The Global State of Journey Management Study 2026* Anna is the co-author of *This is Journey Management (the book)* and lead researcher of *The Global State of Journey Management Study 2026*. Over the last 10 months, she has led a global study on how Journey Management practices have been rapidly evolving and are changing the way managers lead in complex and dynamic environments. This study is the largest global study on Journey Management to date and is the cornerstone of the upcoming book, *This is Journey Management.* Anna Lectures Strategic Customer Experience (CX) at RMIT, consults with organisations and coaches practitioners on advancing their management capabilities. In her spare time, she’s the organiser of Journey Management Monthly Australia and co-organiser of Melbourne Design Thinkers. **David Mulholland** *Associate Director of Service Experience & Design \| University of Melbourne* David Mulholland has spent over 14 years turning complex, tangled service ecosystems into intuitive, human-centred experiences. Spanning UX, CX, and Service Design, his career is built on bridging the gap between lofty strategic visions and the reality of how things actually work on the ground. As the Associate Director of Service Experience & Design within the Enterprise Services Group (ESG) at the University of Melbourne. He heads a multidisciplinary team of User Research & Insights, Service, Digital, and AI Experience Designers. Together, they don't just design screens; they architect end-to-end service blueprints that connect the student experience, improve and automate mundane staff processes, and weave apps, AI experiences, and cross-channel strategies into one cohesive university journey. By translating deep insights into scalable journey systems, David consistently drives tangible results, boosting student engagement, improving staff experience, and unlocking new operational efficiencies. When he isn't mapping complex user journeys or mentoring his team, he brings that same methodical creativity to his downtime, exploring agentic AI tools and vibe coding to bring his own digital side-projects to life. **Keirice Farley** *Customer Experience Design Chapter Lead / 7/11* Keirice Farley is a creative problem solver, design and customer experience leader working at the intersection of strategy, systems thinking, and human-centred design. She leads enterprise experience design across complex, omni-channel environments, helping organisations reduce friction, improve decision quality, and deliver sustainable value at scale. Keirice is known for translating abstract design and CX concepts into practical leadership frameworks that resonate with executives, operators, and product teams alike. Her work focuses on uncovering ‘experience debt’, the hidden cost of compromised decisions. Then helping organisations pay it down through better judgment, governance, and accountability. In her spare time, Keirice takes Korean Language classes, watches Real Housewives (for research purposes 😉), enjoys coffee shop hopping and reads books that improve her craft.

Our teams have the best AI tools but nothing changed

[Josh Centner](https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshcentner/), Principal PM, Seek: will be taking us through this topic building on some discussions from ProductCamp. **Our teams have the best AI tools but nothing changed** Most organisations now have AI tooling across their product and engineering teams. Most of them are moving just a little faster then they were two years ago. The tools aren’t the problem. The operating model underneath them is. Build is no longer the bottleneck. The new constraint is coordination: how teams align on what to build, how functions like legal, security, and design stay genuinely involved without becoming the gate everything stalls behind, and how leaders shift from approving decisions to setting the conditions that let good decisions happen without them. This session draws on a live transformation across a large technology organisation, redesigning not just how teams build, but the entire system from idea to customer impact. We’ll cover the three things that actually have to change for AI tooling to translate into speed: – how work gets defined before it’s built – how specialist functions engage without creating queues – and how the PM role changes when coordination overhead drops and intent has to survive further and faster than ever before. This isn’t a talk about tools. It’s about what your organisation needs to look like for the tools to matter. Our fabulous sponsors: **Netwealth** Netwealth is one of Australia's leading wealth management platforms, providing technology and investment solutions for financial advisers and their clients. Since 1999, we’ve focused on innovation and challenging the status quo, building digital products that help Australians see wealth differently and achieve better financial outcomes. At the heart of Netwealth is a culture of curious, collaborative, courageous, optimistic, agile and genuine people who are passionate about solving meaningful problems and creating better experiences for customers. For more [about careers](https://www.netwealth.com.au/web/about-netwealth/careers/) at Netwealth.

Design Like a Pro: A One-Day Canva Workshop in Melbourne

**Overview** Master Canva to create professional, on-brand social media designs with hands-on practice in templates, branding, media, and content planning. **Ready to secure your spot? 🎯 Register now and complete your payment securely via Stripe Checkout!** [Click Here](https://buy.stripe.com/eVq00jgyK46OgOcgCE2oE44) **Program Details** **Duration**: 1 Full Day (8 Hours) **Delivery Mode**: Classroom (In-Person) **Language**: English **Credits**: 8 PDUs / Training Hours **Certification**: Course Completion Certificate **Refreshments**: Lunch, Snacks, and beverages will be provided during the session **Every Confident Designer Has a Day One. This Could Be Yours.** For general enquiries or booking your slot, contact us at: [info@mangates.com](info@mangates.com) +61 (0) 2 80155605 **Course Overview:** **The Design Gap No One Talks About** Their feed looked fine. Not bad, just forgettable. Every post used the same template, the same stock photo style, the same font picked at random months ago. Nothing looked broken, it just never quite looked like theirs. That's the gap most people hit long before they ever open a design tool properly. Not a lack of creativity, just a lack of the right skills to translate an idea into something that actually looks professional. **The Moment Design Stops Feeling Like Guesswork** Picture this: someone opens Canva, pulls up a template, and instead of leaving it as-is, adjusts the colors to match their brand, swaps the font, repositions the text, and exports a post that finally looks intentional. That's not talent. That's a skill, and it's exactly what this one-day workshop is built to teach. **How the Day Unfolds** * **Module 1: Getting Started with Canva** — They explore Canva's interface and workspace, and start recognizing the right formats for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. * **Module 2: Essential Design Principles** — They practice layout, spacing, and alignment, and start noticing why some designs feel balanced and others feel off. * **Module 3: Templates, Branding & Customization** — Through a role-play, they learn how to select and personalize templates, layering in brand colors, fonts, and logos.\ * **Module 4: Creative Social Media Graphics** — A case study pushes them to design posts for real engagement, using effects, transparency, and story formats. * **Module 5: Using Images, Icons & Media Tools** — A simulation has them working with stock photos, icons, and overlays until the visuals feel sharp and intentional. * **Module 6: Editing, Resizing & Content Variations** — A group brainstorm surfaces quick techniques for resizing and repurposing one design across multiple platforms. * **Module 7: Exporting & Publishing Designs** — By the end of the day, they aren't just experimenting, they're exporting polished designs and building an actual content calendar. **What Changes By the End** Attendees leave able to: * Understand Canva's interface and essential tools * Use design principles for professional visuals * Customize templates for brand identity * Create platform-specific social media graphics * Work confidently with media, icons, and effects * Resize and repurpose content for different platforms * Export and publish polished, high-quality designs **Who Finds Themselves Here** * Social media beginners * Entrepreneurs and small business owners * Marketing and communication teams * Students and freelancers * Content creators and influencers * Anyone wanting to design without advanced software **Real Practice, Not Passive Listening** Every attendee works hands-on with real design projects, live, in the room. The scenario above isn't hypothetical, it reflects exactly what happens to most people who walk in without a design background and walk out designing with confidence. **Bring This to Your Organization** Picture an entire marketing team producing consistent, on-brand visuals without waiting on a designer for every post. This workshop is available as a customized in-house session, on-site or virtual, with group pricing for teams ready to build that capability together. 📧 Contact us today to schedule a customized in-house session: [corporate@mangates.com](mailto:corporate@mangates.com) **©2026 Mangates Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd. This content is protected by copyright law. Copy or Reproduction without permission is prohibited.** **FAQs** **1\. Do I need any prior design experience to attend?** No, this workshop is built specifically for beginners with no design background at all. **2\. Do I need to install any software before the session?** No, Canva works directly in your browser, and the workshop will guide you through account setup if needed. **3\. Will I actually create real designs\, or is this mostly a demo?** You'll create real designs throughout the day, working hands-on with templates, branding elements, and export formats. **4\. Can I use this for my own business or brand\, not just generic templates?** Yes, Module 3 focuses specifically on customizing templates with your own brand colors, fonts, and logos. **5\. What if I need designs for multiple platforms\, not just Instagram?** Module 1 covers formats for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and Module 6 teaches you to resize one design across all of them. **6\. Does the course cover video content\, or just static images?** Yes, Module 5 covers working with videos alongside stock photos, icons, and illustrations. **7\. Will I learn how to use Canva's AI tools?** Yes, Module 6 introduces Canva's AI tools for quick adjustments and content variations. **8\. I run social media for my company\, will this help with content planning\, not just design?** Yes, Module 7 covers preparing content calendars using Canva folders, alongside exporting and publishing your designs. **9\. Can this course be customized for our marketing team specifically?** Yes, group sessions can be tailored to your organization and delivered on-site or virtually, with group pricing available. **10\. What do I actually walk away with at the end of the day?** Practical skills across Canva's full toolkit, templates, branding, media, resizing, and exporting, plus a Course Completion Certificate.

Fabric x SpaceXAI Launch Event

🚀 What does it really mean to build AI-native software? Join us for an upcoming fireside chat with [SpaceXAI](https://www.linkedin.com/company/spacexai/posts/?feedView=all) as we explore what’s next for AI-powered software development. We’ll unpack: 🔹 Why the SpaceXAI × [Fabric Group](https://www.linkedin.com/company/fabricgroup/) partnership matters 🔹 What AI-native software development really looks like 🔹 How AI is reshaping engineering teams and workflows 🔹 The challenges organisations face when adopting AI at scale 🔹 Opportunities to modernise legacy systems and accelerate delivery Whether you’re leading an engineering team, driving digital transformation, or exploring what AI could mean for your organisation, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. 📍 Join us for the conversation.

International Day of Democracy Event : Panel Discussion

Hi everyone! Designing Open Democracy is hosting an event! In partnership with 888 cooperative causeway, join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking panel discussion celebrating the International Day of Democracy! Panel Lineup includes: Nicholas Gruen - CEO, Lateral economics Godfrey Moase -co founder of CoPower Anitra Nelson - Activist Academic Nicole Hunter - Deliberative community engagement specialist Please visit the link below to buy tickets - as a member of this group, you can gain access to the special Designing Open Democracy Member's price of $20! [https://events.humanitix.com/international-day-of-democracy](https://events.humanitix.com/international-day-of-democracy) Light snacks will be provided.

Melbourne CocoaHeads No. 199

Our regular monthly presentation night on the second Thursday of the month from 6:30pm! Thanks to Mantel Group for hosting us again this month. If you're coming in person we're there with food and drinks from 6pm. We will be live streaming the presentations as usual from 6:30pm at [http://www.melbournecocoaheads.com/live](http://www.melbournecocoaheads.com/live) \-\-\- **Agenda** \| 6:00pm \| Food \+ Networking \| \| 6:30pm \| Event begins\. Introductions \| \| 6:40pm \| Nabila Herzegovina — Documentation using DocC \| \| 7:15pm \| Luke Tupper — \(re\)Creating OS27 Icons \| \| 7:55pm \| Wrap up \+ social time at a nearby venue \| \* All times except the start are approximate. Presentation order will be confirmed on the night. \-\-\-\- We are always looking for speakers and believe everyone has an interesting talk hiding inside themselves. If you are interested in letting that talk out at a future event you can get in touch on the website [https://www.melbournecocoaheads.com/talks](https://www.melbournecocoaheads.com/talks) or on Slack.

Welcome to the next 2026 AWS Melbourne Well-Architected User Group Meetup!

Hi Architects, Welcome to our next AWS Melbourne Well-Architected User Group Meetup for 2026, including more exceptional speakers and topics! :-D At each meetup we covered off various pillars in detail, best-practices and insights from industry leaders that specialise in the Well-Architected Framework. And giving away drones, of course. Lots of drones. **Please also note that AWS Security now requests a company name and company email where it is available. If you are a student, please list your institution and your student email address at that institution 👍** We'll be announcing more speakers on [https://well-architected.me](https://well-architected.me/) and previewing presentations during the coming weeks - our speakers and details this month include: * **Shilin Wu, Principal Solution Architect — VeloDB / Apache Doris** **Cost-Efficient Real-Time Analytics on AWS: Storage-Compute Separation with Apache Doris** Real-time analytics have a reputation for being expensive — you pay for fast storage you barely use, and for compute that sits idle overnight. This session walks through VeloDB / Apache Doris's storage-compute separation architecture on AWS, showing how to push warm data down to S3 while keeping sub-second query latency on the data that matters. We'll round off with a **live demo** querying billions of rows against S3-backed storage, soattendees can see the latency-vs-cost trade-off in action rather than on a slide. * **Pankaj Reddy, Head of Engineering - Simplicity KiwiSaver** **The next thing that matters (orientation theory continued..)** The talk explores mental models for how an agent decides what matters next, and how that shapes its orientation before it acts. It connects this idea to the Well-Architected pillars of Operational Excellence, Reliability, Security, and Performance Efficiency, showing how better orientation can lead to more deliberate and effective agent behaviour. * **Mystery Speaker** **Generative AI Cost Optimisation** Cost Optimisation is essential but with all the anecdotal stories of massive token budget blowouts, staying on top of Generative AI best-practices is essential to avoiding these scenarios. This month's menu will include: * Pizzas * Beer: Nastro Azzurro * Wine: Big and red 🤤 NB: Please check in up the stairs from the ground floor to the Mezzanine Level. So come join us at 5:30 for a 6pm **SHARP** start, followed by beer, wine, pizza and friendly networking after our talks :-) Tired of Linkedin’s "thought leadership”, spam and advertising? Join https://well-architected.me/ , the AWS community built for architects, developers and cloud professionals. * Connect with experienced AWS practitioners * Preview upcoming AWS Meetups and relive past content * Create and review beautiful AWS case studies in minutes * Prepare for AWS certifications with curated quizzes * Show your manager and reports you’re well-architected (Please note that by registering to attend you agree to your details being shared as and where required with Amazon Web Services and AWS Well-Architected User Group partners) in

Elevating Your Research Through Software Development

**Elevating Your Research Through Software Development** **Date:** 22nd September, 2026 **Time:** 5:30 PM (networking and refreshments from 5:30 PM; talk begins at 6:00 PM) **Where:** DiUS, Level 3/31 Queen St, Melbourne Research projects often begin with a collection of scripts and files that become increasingly difficult to manage, reproduce, and share. Adopting software development practices and structuring research projects like software packages can help address these challenges while improving the quality, reproducibility, and impact of research. In this meetup, we’ll explore how package-based project structures can transform analytical workflows, using real-world examples from COVID-19 vaccination policy analysis and scabies transmission modelling in the Netherlands. The talk will demonstrate how treating research code as software enables more efficient collaboration, easier reuse, and faster translation of analyses into real-world decision-making. We’ll also discuss how emerging AI tools, such as Claude Code, can help researchers build resources that extend the reach of their work beyond its original scope. Come along if you’re interested in reproducible research, scientific programming, data analysis, or research software engineering, or if you’d like practical guidance on creating more structured, reusable, and collaborative research projects!

Melbourne Foundational Models Meetup: AI in Health & Medical Applications

**[REGISTER HERE]** ( https://luma.com/fdnki5to ) Australia's AI ecosystem is rapidly evolving, and nowhere is this more consequential than in healthcare, where foundational models are starting to reshape diagnosis, treatment and patient care. ​Join **SMEC AI** and **La Trobe University** for an evening exploring how AI is being applied across pathology, radiology and personalised medicine. This session brings together researchers and industry practitioners working at the frontier of AI in health, sharing real examples of foundational models being put into practice in clinical and research settings. ​Featured speakers: * ​Dr Zhen He (La Trobe University) — on AI for digital pathology, using image-based foundational models to support diagnostics * ​Nilmini Wickramasinghe (ACAMI, La Trobe University) — on digital twins and patient-focused applications of AI in healthcare * ​Aiden Nibali (Harrison AI) — on foundational models for radiology and medical imaging ​What you'll learn: * ​How foundational models are being applied to pathology, radiology and digital twins * ​The practical challenges of deploying AI in clinical and hospital settings * ​How university research is translating into real-world healthcare tools * ​Where Australia's AI-in-health capability sits on the global stage * ​Opportunities for collaboration between researchers, industry and founders ​Who should attend: * ​AI engineers and researchers * ​Healthcare and medtech professionals * ​Founders and businesses exploring AI partnerships * ​Students and academics interested in AI for health ​Join us at La Trobe University's City Campus for an evening of practical insight into one of AI's most important frontiers. ​ ## ​**About SMEC AI** ​SMEC AI is an initiative of Boab AI in partnership with Artesian, Cremorne Digital Hub, University of Melbourne, RMIT, La Trobe University, Victorian Medtech Skills And Devices Hub, TNG and Rockwell. ​SMEC AI focuses on the agriculture, clean energy, medical and enabling capabilities industries as defined by the National Reconstruction Fund priority areas. ​The SMEC AI project and activities has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Industry Science and Resources AI Adopt program and is aimed at enhancing the adoption of artificial intelligence by small to medium enterprises in Australia. ## ​**About 'Australian Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Medical Innovation (ACAMI)'** ​Australian Centre for AI in Medical Innovation (ACAMI) is dedicated to accelerating the research and development of biomedical research and healthcare through the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning. Applying these capabilities across the medical research lifecycle, ACAMI is creating impact across discovery, development and delivery of new medicines into our communities. Based at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Victoria, ACAMI draws on expertise in artificial intelligence, computer vision, machine learning, molecular biology and diagnostics from across the university to deliver cutting edge AI solutions that accelerate medical research. ​ACAMI is powered by Australia’s first NVIDIA DGX H200 and the NVIDIA Clara Suite of computing platform and software services, providing guaranteed data sovereignty. ​ACAMI works with research partners from academia, industry and the healthcare sector to develop bespoke solutions to advance medical research from bench to bedside. # ​**About the La Trobe AI Institute** ​The **La Trobe AI Institute** is people-powered, impact-driven, and values-led. ​The Institute brings together La Trobe University’s people, expertise, and partnerships around four core principles: **amplify, convene, engage, and uplift**. The Institute amplifies La Trobe’s research strengths and real-world impact through the use of AI. It brings together experts, students, industry, government and communities around shared opportunities and challenges. ​By connecting La Trobe’s applied research, AI-enabled learning and teaching, and industry collaboration, the Institute is helping address major societal, economic, and technological challenges while championing AI for good. ​Its work is focused on ensuring advances in AI translate into lasting benefits for students, partners, communities, and the nation. ​**Discover La Trobe’s AI research, expertise and opportunities to collaborate:** [latrobe.edu.au/ai](https://latrobe.edu.au/ai?utm_source=luma)

Indonesian.

Fad Gallery Happy Hour and great dance vibes!$8 Happy Hour $10 Fireballs!

🎉 Join Us at FAD Gallery Bar! Welcome- Anita will be out fabulous host again🥂 Looking for a fun, easygoing way to meet new people and kick off your weekend? Come hang out with us at FAD Gallery Bar in the heart of Melbourne CBD! 🎨 About the Venue: FAD is an iconic, laneway bar with a unique artistic vibe — think comfy couches, art on the walls, cool music, and that classic Melbourne laneway feel. 🍻 Happy Hour: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM Hosted from 6:00 but feel free to rock up early for Happy Hour as the venue staff are friendly and there are always some early attenders. Enjoy great drink specials during happy hour and very cheap drinks after that — perfect for chatting, chilling, and making new friends. Feeling hungry? Fad has delicious pies and pasties 👋 No need to know anyone — come as you are! This is a relaxed, welcoming meetup where everyone’s there to have fun, make connections, and enjoy good drinks and great company. 💃 Good Vibes & Dancing: Later in the night the bar transforms into a dance-friendly space with DJs and groovy tunes — whether you want to boogie or just hang out, it’s a great crowd and no one’s a stranger here!

🍜Asian Background Social: Lounge Asia Melbourne (Easy English) 6pm

Why People Love Lounge Asia 🍜 Asian-focused event 🤝 Many guests come alone 💬 No need for perfect English 🌏 No games or forced introductions — just enjoy the conversation Lounge Asia began within the Asian community, so people from Asia often feel comfortable and at home here. At the same time, everyone is welcome — locals, expats, travellers, students, returnees, digital nomads, and globally minded people. ━━━━━━━━━━ How to Join 1️⃣ Tap "RSVP" on this page 2️⃣ Show your Meetup QR code at reception 3️⃣ Collect your name tag and start meeting people ✅ Early RSVP is free ✅ RSVPs made within 24 hours of the event start time are $5 ✅ Limited capacity — please RSVP early Many people attend alone, so don't worry if it's your first time. ━━━━━━━━━━ How to Find Us 📍 Venue La Di Da 577 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000 ⏰ Start Time — Melbourne Local Time 6:00 pm ⚠️ Important: This is the local time in Melbourne. Meetup may display Brisbane time or another time zone, so please follow the local time shown above. ━━━━━━━━━━ 🍺 Please Support the Venue This event is free or low-cost because the venue supports our community. Please purchase at least one drink during the event. Your support helps us keep organising events at great venues. ━━━━━━━━━━ 💚 Please Be Respectful Lounge Asia is a friendly social event where everyone should feel comfortable and welcome. 🚫 This is NOT a pickup or dating event. Anyone who makes others uncomfortable may be removed immediately. Not allowed: harassment, unwanted attention, MLM / crypto / religious recruitment, or anything that makes others uncomfortable. Organisers reserve the right to refuse entry or ask anyone to leave. 🪪 A valid government-issued photo ID is strictly required for entry. No photo ID, no entry. Driver's licences must be issued by the government of the country where the event is held. 📸 Photos and short videos may be taken for community and promotional purposes. If you prefer not to appear, please let an organiser know when you arrive. ━━━━━━━━━━ Lounge Asia is already growing in Australia and is now expanding across Asia — Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Our goal is simple: More friendship, more understanding, and more genuine connections across cultures. 📱 Join the Lounge Asia Australia WhatsApp Group Stay connected with the Lounge Asia community after the event. ✅ Hear about upcoming Lounge Asia events ✅ Meet local and international people ✅ Stay connected with people you meet ✅ Receive community news and event updates [👉 Join the WhatsApp group:](https://chat.whatsapp.com/CJV5i6FQMc7DVXezkJUUib) 📱 Instagram: @_lounge_asia [🎥 Watch Event Video:](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNak_cu9CXw) [👉 GET VIP ACCESS:](https://forms.gle/t6GXAjTNFECetVuZ8) ━━━━━━━━━━ 🌏 Come say hi! Hey, come hang out! 来一起玩吧！ 一起來聊天吧！ 気軽に遊びに来てね！ 편하게 놀러 와요! มาเจอกันนะ! Tới chơi nha! Tara, sali ka na! Yuk, gabung! လာပြီး အတူပျော်ကြရအောင်! មកលេងជាមួយគ្នាណា! ມາພົບກັນເດີ້! Хамтдаа цуглацгаая! Komm einfach vorbei! Jom join kita! See you at Lounge Asia!