Coffee machines, cloud service outage and AI in the workplace

Our latest Meetup is a mix of coffee machines, cloud service outage and AI influence. Plus the usual free raffle, a few drinks, and pizza, of course.

To register, you need a Ministry of Testing account (free ones are available), and follow this link https://www.ministryoftesting.com/chapters/mot-leeds/events/mot-leeds-020426

Alexander Weightman will give us a talk called, What a Coffee Machine Revealed About the October 2025 AWS Outage: And What We Can Learn From It

Abstract:
The AWS outage of 20th October 2025 knocked offline more than just cloud services. It took down our office coffee machine. In this session, I’ll share the story of that morning and unpack what happened.

More importantly, we’ll explore what it means for testing and quality roles working with cloud platforms. We’ll look beyond the technical details to understand hidden dependencies, systemic risks, and how we can better prepare our teams for similar incidents in the future. Expect practical insights, real-world reflections, and a fresh perspective on resilience.

Key Takeaways
• A clear understanding of how the 2025 AWS outage caused cascading effects
• What this teaches us about working with AWS as a cloud provider
• An introduction to practical ways that quality roles can prepare for cloud provider failures
• Explore a systems-thinking perspective on resilience and risk you can apply to your organisation

Following a break, we will have an open discussion on how AI is influencing the workplace. Is it everywhere? Is it a daily go-to? What guardrails and checks are in place? Bring your victories and horror stories, and let's find some guidance and tips to help us get the best value out of AI and AI-powered tools.