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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Check out data architecture events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.

Discover all the data architecture events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.

Absolutely! Find data architecture events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.

Data Architecture Events Today

Join in-person Data Architecture events happening right now

Public Speaking & Leadership Training
Public Speaking & Leadership Training
MakeyMonday 2026 Elektronica & microcontr. (Arduino&ESP&RPi)
MakeyMonday 2026 Elektronica & microcontr. (Arduino&ESP&RPi)
Kom naar het HaHaHo Makers Lab Utrecht voor een avond vol kennis & ervaringsdelen en maken, met de focus op elektronica met microprocessoren zoals Arduino & Raspberry Pi, LED’s en meetapparatuur. 19:00 Inloop + opzetten apparatuur 19:45 Standup: wat wil iedereen doen en/of leren deze avond? 20:00 Parallelle activiteiten: – startactiviteiten voor nieuwe deelnemers (Arduino, soldering, meetapparatuur, etc.) – onderlinge kennisuitwisseling adhv de wensen uit de standup – werken aan het gezamenlijke [PraatPaal-project](https://github.com/hadoopmarc/hahaho-interactive-pole) – werken aan je eigen project – ordenen/markeren van de ladenkasten met elektronisch componenten 21:30 Start met opruimen 21:45 Einde en verlaten van de Bibliotheek Wij zijn meestal met een groep van een kleine tien (er is ook nog een whatsapp aanmeldingslijst). Een laptop is niet noodzakelijk maar komt vaak van pas! We vragen een vrijwillige donatie van €5,55 per avond om de inventaris met apparatuur en elektronische componenten op peil te kunnen houden. English 19:00 Room available for setting up equipment 19:45 Standup: what are the participant’s plans and wishes for the evening? 20:00 Parallel activities: – starter activities for new participants (Arduino, soldering, measuring equipment, etc.) – sharing knowledge as follow-up on the plans and wishes expressed during the standup – working on the community [Interactive Pole project](https://github.com/hadoopmarc/hahaho-interactive-pole) – working on your individual project – sorting the chest of drawers with electrical components 21:30 Start decluttering the room 21:45 End: leave the Public Library Most evenings see a group of about 10 people (there is an additional whatsapp list). Bring your laptop if you want to program microcontrollers! We ask for a voluntary donation of €5,55 per evening to maintain the inventory with equipment and electrical components.
🌿 Monday Walk in Brummen
🌿 Monday Walk in Brummen
🌿 Monday Walk in Brummen Start your week with a refreshing walk and great company! We’ll meet at Brummen Railway Station at 1:00 PM and head out to explore the beautiful nature around Brummen. The area offers peaceful forests, scenic trails, and lovely countryside—perfect for a relaxed walk and good conversations. The weather looks great, so it’s the perfect chance to enjoy the outdoors, meet new people, and make new friends. 📍 Meeting point: Brummen Railway Station 🕐 Time: 1:00 PM Please wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a bottle of water if you’d like. Everyone is welcome, whether you’re new to the area or just looking to expand your social circle. Come along, enjoy nature, and let’s have a fun afternoon together!
Kant’s Cave: Dungeons & Dragons and Philosophy - Peter Worley
Kant’s Cave: Dungeons & Dragons and Philosophy - Peter Worley
ATTEND IN PERSON OR ON ZOOM Note the new location! (St Hilda's East in Shoreditch, London) Should you put on Plato's Ring of Gyges? What makes a decision a good one? And what can slaying dragons teach us about living well? Join philosopher, educator, author and veteran Dungeon Master [Peter Worley](https://peterworley.uk/) for an accessible introduction to the surprising philosophical depth of Dungeons & Dragons. Using examples from the game alongside ideas from the Stoics, Simone de Beauvoir and Nietzsche, Peter Worley will show how role-playing can become a powerful way of thinking about the decisions we make both in fantasy worlds and in our own lives. No previous experience of D&D required. Pre-explore via RationalGrid.ai [here](https://rationalgrid.ai/g/what-are-the-philosophical-underpinnings-of-dungeo-2511f5/graph) [Peter Worley](https://peterworley.uk/) is a philosopher-educator, specialising in questioning, dialogue, and philosophical inquiry. He is the author or editor of eleven books on doing philosophy, including *The If Machine, The If Odyssey and Corrupting Youth*. He is creator of PhiE pedagogy of philosophical enquiry, and the Founder of The Philosophy Foundation, through which he helped bring philosophy into schools, communities, and workplaces internationally. Peter's work has inspired and featured in films including the BAFTA-nominated BBC animation *What Makes Me, Me?*, the acclaimed documentary *Young Plato*, and the BBC drama *Waiting for the Out*. An experienced Dungeons & Dragons 'Dungeon Master' (DM), Peter has been incorporating its elements in his educational work in philosophy for two decades. This event is sponsored by the Royal institute of Philosophy. Lecture and discussion! See you there? For the full programme of events pls see [pfalondon.org](http://pfalondon.org)
Swimming lessons for adults | Beginners
Swimming lessons for adults | Beginners
If you are living in The Netherlands, by now, you may well have noticed the amount of open water. If you enjoy cycling in the city, you may wish to feel safer as you navigate the bridges and canals. And you may also want to get ready for visiting the beach, pools or the many lakes this summer. Learning how to swim takes approx 1 year and it all starts with the very first lesson. New comers enroll via our website and pay € 30,50, this is the first lesson and a goody bag. After the class you agree with the personal swim coach how to continue to obtain your final objectives. Enrolling is only possible via [www.your-personal-swim-coach.nl ](https://www.your-personal-swim-coach.nl/)hence a rvsp via meetup is not enough.
Monday Night - East - 54K
Monday Night - East - 54K
A great ride along the Vecht and Gein rivers. You will love this route. Please ride single file along the winding river as there can be cars around each corner. **Route:** https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/441606271 GPX: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17-T_pT_GH3QKSFcH1WWgfArvxSdAkVzO/view?usp=sharing **Afterwards:** Drinks at Polder https://maps.app.goo.gl/tbt5DDG7YLU3uWvaA **Rules:** \- Download the route to your cycling computer so you can always find your way home \- Make sure to arrive on time \- Before you ride\, decide as a group how you want to ride: you can split up in a fast and a slow group or stay together\, but make sure to discuss what pace you are going to ride and whether you are going to wait if someone is slower than the group\, or not\.
Buitenspelen voor volwassene
Buitenspelen voor volwassene
Samen sporten, gewoon voor de fun, elke week een divers programma, met allerlei verschillende sporten. Je hoeft niet de beste te zijn, maar wel zin hebben om samen te spelen en te leren. Tijdens een training doen we verschillende spelletjes, basketbal, voetbal. volleybal, spikebal, honkbal. Kom je ook, de bal ligt bij jou!! Eerste keer meedoen is altijd gratis, daarna kan je beslissen of dit voor jou is, of niet!! Dus kom een keer proberen. Kan je niet op deze dag, we sporten ook op andere dagen nl Zondag om 9:30 of Maandag om 20:30 Stuur mij een berichtje als je op die dagen een keer wil proberen! The amount of people rsvp'd to this game doesn't match the real number of people at the event, as Meetup is only used for promotion purposes.

Data Architecture Events This Week

Discover what is happening in the next few days

Practices of Alliance Meetup
Practices of Alliance Meetup
[Sign up here](https://ccu.stager.co/shop/default/events/111671531?utm_campaign=practices-of-alliance&utm_source=meetup) CCU returns to Instituto Cervantes for a spotlight on our artists in residence, who will introduce their current projects and artistic practices relating to ecology and creative technologies. ⁠ ⁠ **Speakers ⁠ ⁠** **Nahun Saldaña** will develop a site-specific sonic intervention at the Hof van Cartesius that monitors and makes audible the living processes of the space, using local bio-data and low-energy electronics to create a direct, sensory dialogue with the site's biodiversity. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ **Sounak Das** will introduce his artistic practice, which operates at the intersection of image, sound, video, sculpture, installation and technology, with a strong focus on storytelling, bodily experience and audience participation. Enchanted by a deep curiosity for science and spirituality, he interrogates the metaphysical and speculative possibilities of art as a means of inquiry. ⁠ ⁠ In a performative lecture, **Miranda Moss** and **Urs Gaudenz** from GaudiLabs will unfurl their art-science research practice of kitsch kitchen bioelectronics, which aims to agitate knowledge hierarchies and shift collective imaginaries around science, technology and regenerative futures. They will show and tell their recent work with organic semiconductors, bioelectric nanowires, plant-based synths and onion circuits. ⁠ ⁠ The conceptual separation between nature on the one hand and humans on the other has destructive consequences. We know ‘nature documentaries’ as a genre that confirms this old paradigm. But what happens if we let go of this separation in a nature documentary? What if human structures are not left out of the picture, but are part of it? And what do we see when a nature film is not about a coral reef or rainforest, but about a building? Audiovisual artist **Werner de Valk** tries to answer these questions by following a building, the Boomtoren, through the seasons, for one year. ⁠ ⁠ These international residences are situated in the Zoöp ecosystem of CCU: a Zoöp is an organizational model for collaboration between human and non-human life. ⁠ ⁠ Residencies supported by Insituto Cervantes, EUNIC, Zoöp Connections and Amarte fonds. [Sign up here](https://ccu.stager.co/shop/default/events/111671531?utm_campaign=practices-of-alliance&utm_source=meetup)
Linux Repair Café Utrecht
Linux Repair Café Utrecht
Give your still good laptop a second life instead of ditching it because Windows 11 says it is no good... Or you heard Linux is cool. If you have a backup of your data, that is great, else indicate that you do not, so we can help you. Do so in an extra message or to m10@m10tech.nl, else I don't receive your information. Geef je laptop die het nog prima doet een tweede kans in plaats van hem af te schrijven omdat Window 11 dat zegt... Of omdat je hoorde dat Linux gaaf is. Als je al een backup van je data hebt gemaakt is dat perfect. Of verwacht je dat wij dat doen? In dat geval graag aangeven hoe vol je harde schijf nu is... Doe dat in een extra bericht of aan m10@m10tech.nl, want de info komt anders niet door.
[UTRECHT] Eenentwintig Utrecht Bitcoin Meetup @ dimS (Amersfoort)
[UTRECHT] Eenentwintig Utrecht Bitcoin Meetup @ dimS (Amersfoort)
Geen (geplande) workshops of lezingen, maar mocht je iets leuks te melden of te leren hebben voel je vrij om dit te delen. Of kom gewoon gezellig langs om mede-bitcoiners te ontmoeten bij deze Eenentwinting Utrecht meetup bij dimS Eten en Drinken in Amersfoort (op loopafstand van Amersfoort Vathorst).
Planken Wambuis, (13km), Ede, July 11th
Planken Wambuis, (13km), Ede, July 11th
Lunteren Forest & Dunes Hike (19 km)
Lunteren Forest & Dunes Hike (19 km)
Ready for a scenic hike? We’re heading out for a beautiful 19 km hike around Lunteren, passing forests, sand drifts, and even the official geographical center of the Netherlands. Expect beautiful nature, good conversations, and a great way to meet new people! 19 km is also a perfect first training day for the [PLN charity walk](https://www.meetup.com/nijmegen-explore-and-more/events/313573496/). And you’re of course also absolutely welcome to come if you’re not joining the fundraiser. Come for the nature, the social vibe, or just because you enjoy a solid hike. **What to expect** 📍Distance: \~19 km 🌲Terrain: mostly forest paths, sandy sections and heathland (varied and scenic) 🚶**‍**Pace: relaxed but steady ☕Breaks: there are some nice spots for a couple of breaks **Times & places** ⏱️**12:15** Start at [Lunteren train station (Spoorstraat 4, 6741 DE Lunteren) ](https://maps.app.goo.gl/6uPDXGh8ATBDJJQe9) 🏁**17:00** Back at starting point (estimate depending on pace and breaks, flexibility helps) **Cost** 💰[A €7.50 donation](https://www.detikkendeklokchallenge.nl/fundraisers/sam/donate) (or more 😉) to the PLN fundraising walk. Prefer to donate via a payment link/iDeal, or cash? Just send me a message! 🎗️This event is free if you have already signed up for our team in the [PLN fundraising walk](https://www.meetup.com/nijmegen-explore-and-more/events/313573496/) ❤️‍🩹The brother and mother of one of my best friends have been diagnosed with PLN, a genetic heart condition. This disease still has no cure and crucial research is at risk of slowing down as international funding becomes uncertain due to the changed political climate. That's why we are trying to raise funds, so this very important research can continue. **Preparation** 🥾This is a friendly training distance, suitable if you’re comfortable walking longer routes. No speed needed, just a positive mindset. 🥪Bring water, snacks, weather-appropriate clothing, and comfortable shoes. ❓Questions? Send me a message, happy to help :-) **Event Policies** ⚠️ Disclaimer: Participants are responsible for their own safety. Please stay with the group and respect nature at all times. ⚠️ Cancellation: The event will be canceled in case of severe weather conditions (you’ll be notified in advance). A refund is not possible because this is a fundraiser, the money goes directly to a good cause. But I will try to reschedule a worthy replacement event :-) ⚠️ No-show might result in ban: Marking yourself as "going" takes a spot away from others for limited capacity events like this. If you are marked as going but don't show up, you might be banned from the *Nijmegen Explore & More* group
Real-World Challenges in Geospatial Machine Learning
Real-World Challenges in Geospatial Machine Learning
⚠️ **Important Note:** *PyData Amsterdam is transitioning to Luma.* ✨ * *Please [subscribe](https://luma.com/pydataamsterdam?k=c) to PyData Amsterdam on Luma:* [https://luma.com/pydataamsterdam](https://luma.com/pydataamsterdam) * *And register at the Luma [link](https://luma.com/pf5kes87) for this event:* [https://luma.com/pf5kes87](https://luma.com/pf5kes87) Join us at **TomTom’s Amsterdam office** on **Thursday, July 9**, for an evening dedicated to the practical challenges of building geospatial machine learning systems. Machine learning is a powerful tool, but applying it to real-world geospatial data presents a unique set of challenges. In this meetup, we are bringing together research and engineering perspectives to discuss how to overcome these hurdles, design robust pipelines, and maintain data quality in a rapidly changing world. **Agenda** * 17:30 - 18:25: Welcome with food and drinks! * 18:25 - 18:30: TomTom’s intro * 18:30 - 19:00: Talk 1: Designing ML systems for continuously changing world, or how does Automated Driving really work, by Ahmed Boudissa * 19:00 - 19:35: Talk 2: 85 million matches, thousands of catches: active learning at production scale, by Haris Iqbal * 19:35 - 19:45: Break * 19:45 - 20:15: Talk 3, by Ioanna Micha & Nathalie Dees * 20:15 - 21:00: Networking / drinks **Talk 1:** Designing ML systems for continuously changing world, or how does Automated Driving really work, by *[Ahmed Boudissa](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmedboudissa/)* Building machine learning systems is one thing. Building systems that remain accurate, fresh, and scalable while the real world changes every day is another challenge entirely. In this talk, we'll explore how TomTom turns billions of raw observations from satellites, survey vehicles, connected devices, and onboard sensors into lane-level map products used by automated driving systems. Rather than focusing on a single model, we'll look at the broader system design challenges involved in combining multiple data sources, maintaining data quality, and keeping machine learning pipelines operating at global scale. You'll see how foundational models help automate map production, how multi-source pipelines continuously update map content, and what it takes to transform fragmented real-world data into a reliable product that can be trusted by both drivers and automated systems. What you'll learn: • Why large-scale, real-world ML systems are fundamentally different from controlled benchmarks • How multiple data sources can be combined into a single production workflow • How machine learning and computer vision automate complex mapping tasks • The challenges of maintaining freshness and quality at global scale • Why production system design matters as much as model performance **Talk 2:** 85 million matches, thousands of catches: active learning at production scale, by *[Haris Iqbal](https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiqbal88/)* Many machine learning problems look straightforward until you encounter the edge cases. The first 80% of accuracy often comes easily. The remaining percent is where the most interesting engineering decisions begin. In this talk, we'll explore a large-scale matching problem from digital map-making: connecting traffic signs to the correct road segments. While simple nearest-neighbour approaches solve most cases, real-world data introduces ambiguity, inconsistencies, and edge cases that quickly expose the limitations of naive solutions. Using this problem as a case study, we'll examine how model selection, feature engineering, and active learning can be combined to build scalable systems that perform reliably in production. You'll see why we chose tree-based models over more complex alternatives, how active learning helped reduce labeling effort across 85 million candidate matches, and how model failures became one of our most valuable sources of improvement. What you'll learn: • Why seemingly simple ML problems become challenging at scale • When classical machine learning can outperform more complex approaches • How to design features and select models under real-world scalability constraints • How active learning can dramatically reduce labeling effort • Practical techniques for debugging and improving production ML systems **Talk 3:** TBD, by [Ioanna Micha](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ioannamicha/) *& [Nathalie Dees](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-dees-1a5a7912a/)* TBD **Directions:** 📍 De Ruijterkade 154, 1011 AC - Amsterdam TomTom’s office is just a 10–15 minute walk (or quick bus ride) from Amsterdam Central Station.
7km hike from Amersfoort Vathorst to Landgoed Hoevelaken and back
7km hike from Amersfoort Vathorst to Landgoed Hoevelaken and back
Join us on a 7km hike from Amersfoort Vathorst train station to Landgoed Hoevelaken and back. From Vathorst Station we'll walk through a residential area for around 15 minutes until we'll cross under the A28 highway and head into Landgoed Hoevelaken. Here we'll walk on a mixture of long forest lanes and smaller winding forest paths. After crossing the provincial road to Nijkerk we'll also walk through the Overbos forest. At the end we'll head back to Vathorst train station via Nijkerkerveen village, some meadows and along the railways. Utrecht Hiking Community is organising one hike per month. Our aim is not to hike fast, but to hike "gezellig". It's intended to be a mixture of being active in nature, exploring places in and around Utrecht and meeting fellow hiking enthusiasts. Everybody is welcome to join, no matter whether you are a beginner or a hiking pro, expat or a local, student or professional (or maybe even retired). Also you can come with friends, but alone as well. At our previous hikes there were always many people who didn't know any of the other hikers, so it's a perfect opportunity to get to know some fellow hiking enthusiasts. If you like this idea and want not only to participate but to support us as well, you can help us by making a small donation using this link: https://www.ing.nl/payreq/m/?trxid=L9Z0gDbAfY48ETP1VhKdTHId88RaaaDe We're using these to cover for our travel costs and MeetUp subscription (about €200 a year for event organisers). We'll start our hike at 10.30AM and will meet in the tunnel under Amersfoort Vathorst train station. Please try your best to arrive on time, since if you arrive later, we won't make the whole group wait for you. You can however send a message on WhatsApp to +31621177691, so we can send you our live location and you can try to catch up with the group. For those coming by car, there are a few parking places at the end of the Amendijk street in Hooglanderveen, which are directly next to the train station. At the nearby Vathorst shopping center there are many more free parking places. After the hike, after arriving back to Vathorst train station, we can go for a lunch with anybody who wants to in the nearby Vathorst shopping centre. What should you bring for this hike? Good hiking shoes (about half of the route is paved and the other half is unpaved), a bottle with water or anything else you'd like to drink on the way and of course a good mood are the only things really necessary. Also don't forget to put on some SPF. A few other practical things that are good to know: Dogs are allowed on this route, but need to be kept on a leash while we are not walking in Landgoed Hoevelaken. There is no toilet at Amersfoort Vathorst train station, so please make sure to visit a toilet before you depart to Amersfoort Vathorst. Alternatively you can go to the toilet in the library in the Vathorst shopping centre, but it's a 3 minute walk from the train station to get there. We will make some photos during the hike for on our social media (Instagram: @utrecht.hiking.community). If you don't want to be on any photos, you can still join, but please notify the organisers before the hike. And finally, in case of very bad weather we might postpone the hike to another date. Right now it doesn't look like we may expect that kind of bad weather, but just for in any case, please check this event for any updates on the evening before the hike. See you on Saturday!

Data Architecture Events Near You

Connect with your local Data Architecture community

IxDA Chat n Pancakes
IxDA Chat n Pancakes
You can sleep in on the Semiquincentennial (observed), we’re shifting to the following Friday. But join the local UX community for a chat and some biscuits to catch up. If you were in CA for Figma Config, tell us all the lines and you can tell me how I can animate an SVG without coding it by hand, and why I’d even want to. Thanks to the team at Nationwide of supporting the group.
Data & Analytics Wednesday - Learning from Everyday Data
Data & Analytics Wednesday - Learning from Everyday Data
**Practical Curiosity: Learning from Everyday Data** How do we actually get better at utilizing our day-to-day data? Fancy dashboards and complex models might look nice and draw attention, but that’s not where most of us spend our time. In fact those shiny outputs frequently sit unused, while the real insights are drawn from the analyst’s daily practice. Sometimes it’s as simple and as powerful as noticing that a segment is shrinking, a channel is underused, or certain links keep getting all the clicks. There’s many different places that the spark of insight can come from, but you have to keep your head in the data and know where to look. In this session, we’ll explore real-world examples of how segmentation, testing, and click behavior can uncover practical digital marketing opportunities. You’ll leave with inspiration for your own use cases, along with a few simple ways to ask better questions, spot meaningful patterns, and make smarter decisions without overcomplicating it. **About Our Speaker:** [Elaine Armbruster](https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainearmbruster/) is a Director of Digital Experience at the [American Diabetes Association](https://diabetes.org/), where she focuses on using data and insights to create smarter, more effective digital experiences. A lifelong Columbus resident, she has built her career in email marketing and the broader digital user journey, and is finding she most enjoys working in the messy middle where systems, data, and big ideas don’t quite line up yet. 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)
AWS Columbus User Group - Topic to be announced
AWS Columbus User Group - Topic to be announced
Topic to be announced. **CALL FOR SPEAKERS** Learn more: https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/ **THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: https://www.veeam.com/ **DIRECTIONS** 8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH go to 4th floor. **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
CBusData - Highlights and Hidden Gems in SQL Server 2025
CBusData - Highlights and Hidden Gems in SQL Server 2025
Highlights and Hidden Gems in SQL Server 2025 With so much emphasis on cloud data platforms and AI these days, SQL people can feel left behind by all the marketing hype. SQL Server 2025 was officially released in November of 2025, though, and contains a ton of improvements that will make our SQL Server deployments a bit faster, better, and more secure. There are even more improvements tucked into the release that never made a marketing blog or press release that you'll likely be learning about for the first time in this session! Join this session to learn about what makes your high availability a little more available, your performance a bit more performant, and your database more developer and app-friendly. Come spend an hour with SQL people talking SQL Server 2025 – the good, the "not quite ready for prime time", and the hidden awesomeness.
Azure CBUS July
Azure CBUS July
Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/azure-cbus-2026/
Odoo Business Show - Columbus, OH
Odoo Business Show - Columbus, OH
Where innovation meets practicality. Join us in **Columbus, OH** for our **immersive event** featuring dynamic, audience-driven demonstrations showcasing the groundbreaking features of our software. We'll cover a wide range of topics, from Manufacturing and Accounting to Inventory Management, Sales/CRM, and eCommerce, as we **delve into the capabilities of Odoo 19**. Discover how it can transform your business processes and support your journey towards digital transformation! Attend for FREE -[ ](https://www.odoo.com/r/dKG)**[Register now!](https://www.odoo.com/r/QU4)** For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to us at ellee@odoo.com
Stop Guessing: How to Measure and Improve LLM Outputs
Stop Guessing: How to Measure and Improve LLM Outputs
Most people use LLMs by feel: ask a question, read the answer, decide whether it “seems good,” and move on. That works for casual use. It does not work when you are building software, automating workflows, writing important documents, or relying on AI for anything that needs to be repeatable. In this talk, we’ll look at how to improve and evaluate the inputs and outputs of LLMs using practical measurement techniques. We’ll cover how prompt changes affect results, how to compare outputs, how to build simple evaluation sets, and how math-based methods like similarity scoring can help you move beyond guesswork. This will be beginner-friendly, so even if you don't know anything about AI, you should get something out of it. However, this will be a little more technical than our intro talks. You do not need to be an AI researcher, but programmers and technically curious attendees will get a lot out of it. We’ll cover: * Why “it looks good” is not enough * How to improve prompts by changing the input, context, and constraints * How to compare LLM outputs more systematically * Basic evaluation techniques for accuracy, consistency, and usefulness * How embeddings, cosine similarity, and scoring can help evaluate results * Where automated evaluation works — and where humans still need to stay in the loop By the end, you’ll have a practical mental model for treating LLMs less like magic and more like systems you can test, measure, and improve. LOGISTICS AND PARKING: The talk starts at 7:00 PM. The first half hour is reserved for everyone to get set up and mingle. Free pizza and drinks! The cheapest parking option is to find street parking, which will only cost you a few bucks. Otherwise, park in the nearby veteran's museum lot for $8. It's highly recommended you avoid the nearby $15 garage parking.