Software QA and Testing

**Menno Finlay-Smits: Off-grid messaging with Meshtastic & Python** Python talks! Python people! Join our monthly meetup about all things Python. If all goes well there will also be pizza and drinks. * We meet **every fourth Tuesday** of a month at 5:45pm (talks start at 6:30pm) * **Space is limited** at the venue, so please only register (it's free) if you really intend to come. Also, as we will aim to provide some food and drinks, this will help us manage amounts and avoid waste. Thank you! * \*\*Join the [Python NZ Discord ](https://discord.python.nz/)\*\*to stay up to date, interact with others or help with upcoming events. * Python New Zealand's **[Code of Conduct](https://events.python.nz/redirect/?url=https%3A//python.nz/about/code-of-conduct/%3AfBv4yOxQ5i0fg9WnNd7RvQ4JrjpQ4CztIw_jdXQaRoY)** applies to all Python New Zealand events and participants agree to abide by it. * The meetup will also be accessible virtually. Point your web browser at [https://bbb.nzoss.nz/rooms/qik-mr2-6ds-fer/join](https://bbb.nzoss.nz/rooms/qik-mr2-6ds-fer/join) **Meshtastic provides long range encrypted messaging using cheap hardware and ad hoc radio networks, and Meshtastic devices can be controlled by Python! I'll be bringing along a couple of devices for some live demos.** **Finding the meetup:** Look for a glass door with a sign mentioning the meetup and head upstairs to the Trade Me office. Call the phone number on the sign if you arrive late and the door is locked. Don't hesitate to pass this information around to whomever you think may be interested to hear and discuss all things Python. Join our meetings online or in person: \* [Python New Zealand - Online Events](https://meetup.com/pythonnz-online) \* [Python New Zealand - Auckland](https://meetup.com/pythonnz-auckland) \* [Python New Zealand - Wellington](https://meetup.com/pythonnz-wellington) \* [Python New Zealand - Christchurch](https://meetup.com/pythonnz-christchurch)

We are finally coming back to the capital! Join GitHub Engineers **Marco Celon** and **Vic Perdana** as they demonstrate how to harness your workflow and explore how developers boost productivity with AI, reduce friction, and accelerate innovation, all while keeping control and quality in your hands. **Agenda** 5:30 - Pizza and networking 6:00 - Talk 6:40 - AMA 7:00 - Finish Please make sure to register for the event as we need to provide contact details to Microsoft for security purposes. Registration will close 48 hours prior to the event to provide enough time to send out the access passes for in-person attendees, but you can [join online](https://aka.ms/aotearoanzgithub/stream) on the day. If you have a topic you'd like to present (or hear about) please reach out, or create an idea in our [GitHub Ideas discussion board](https://github.com/orgs/NZ-GitHub-UG/discussions/categories/ideas).

**Menno Finlay-Smits: Off-grid messaging with Meshtastic & Python** Python talks! Python people! Join our monthly meetup about all things Python. If all goes well there will also be pizza and drinks. * We meet **every fourth Tuesday** of a month at 5:45pm (talks start at 6:30pm) * **Space is limited** at the venue, so please only register (it's free) if you really intend to come. Also, as we will aim to provide some food and drinks, this will help us manage amounts and avoid waste. Thank you! * \*\*Join the [Python NZ Discord ](https://discord.python.nz/)\*\*to stay up to date, interact with others or help with upcoming events. * Python New Zealand's **[Code of Conduct](https://events.python.nz/redirect/?url=https%3A//python.nz/about/code-of-conduct/%3AfBv4yOxQ5i0fg9WnNd7RvQ4JrjpQ4CztIw_jdXQaRoY)** applies to all Python New Zealand events and participants agree to abide by it. * The meetup will also be accessible virtually. Point your web browser at [https://bbb.nzoss.nz/rooms/qik-mr2-6ds-fer/join](https://bbb.nzoss.nz/rooms/qik-mr2-6ds-fer/join) **Meshtastic provides long range encrypted messaging using cheap hardware and ad hoc radio networks, and Meshtastic devices can be controlled by Python! I'll be bringing along a couple of devices for some live demos.** **Finding the meetup:** Look for a glass door with a sign mentioning the meetup and head upstairs to the Trade Me office. Call the phone number on the sign if you arrive late and the door is locked. Don't hesitate to pass this information around to whomever you think may be interested to hear and discuss all things Python. Join our meetings online or in person: \* [Python New Zealand - Online Events](https://meetup.com/pythonnz-online) \* [Python New Zealand - Auckland](https://meetup.com/pythonnz-auckland) \* [Python New Zealand - Wellington](https://meetup.com/pythonnz-wellington) \* [Python New Zealand - Christchurch](https://meetup.com/pythonnz-christchurch)

Join GitHub Engineers **Marco Celon** and **Vic Perdana** as they take a deep dive into GitHub Copilot’s evolution from autocomplete to an agentic AI partner. Learn about MCP, A2A, and orchestration patterns shaping the future of agent workflows. They will also be an opportunity to ask your curly GitHub and/or AI Agent questions. **Agenda** 5:30 - Pizza and networking 6:00 - Talk 6:40 - AMA 7:00 - Finish Please make sure to register for the event as we need to provide contact details to Microsoft for security purposes. Registration will close 48 hours prior to the event to provide enough time to send out the access passes for in-person attendees, but you can [join online](https://aka.ms/aotearoanzgithub/stream) on the day. If you have a topic you'd like to present (or hear about) please reach out, or create an idea in our [GitHub Ideas discussion board](https://github.com/orgs/NZ-GitHub-UG/discussions/categories/ideas).

We're back for 2026! Are you wondering what an 'AI Product Manager' actually does? Continuing our theme of real world AI product stories, come to hear from 5 amazing One NZ product people, some of whom have this title... One NZ has one of the largest and broadest AI transformation programmes in NZ spanning all areas of its business - from finance to customer service to software engineering to back office processing. With almost 50 new AI solutions launched in the 2025, they are learning at a rapid pace what it takes to build and run AI. The speakers will share the learnings, gotchas and wins. They're all using AI in their own work and teams so along with learning how to build and run AI they are also learning how to work with AI - it's been a HUGE change! **Natalie Burrows, AI Transformation Programme Director** Nat will share an overview of the AI Transformation Programme across One NZ - the mission, the mandate, and operating model. **Steph Randell, Senior AI Product Manager** Steph will share her learnings from developing & scaling our AI Concierge for 1 million+ mass market customers and what's different about managing AI products. **Kavita Nandha, AI Product Manager** Kavita will share her learnings from developing, scaling our suite of AI agents for all enterprise & business customers and co-creating agentic B2B experiences. **Ethan Li, AI Product Chapter Lead** Ethan will share his workbench for AI product management and experimenting with blending product & engineering crafts. **Neeharika Chowdhary, GM AI Product & Value** Neeharika will share her perspectives about the future of product management and learnings from scaling AI products & experiences across CX, AX, & EX. Huge thanks to One NZ for hosting and sponsoring this event! We're figuring out the livestreaming details - watch this space for updates on that. As always the livestream will kick off from just before 6pm. And please take a moment to fill out the ProductTank Auckland 2026 topic survey! We'd love to hear what topics you'd like to see at an event this year. Click here for the survey: [https://forms.gle/dNUKUf6bDaoTApJz5](https://forms.gle/dNUKUf6bDaoTApJz5) Note that as part of the signup process for this event you'll be asked to agree to a Mind the Product waiver. Mind the Product is the global parent organisation of ProductTank Meetups around the world and this waiver ensures that we can safely bring these events to you free of charge! If you have any questions please message one of the event organisers.

**Hello Columbus!** **The community is buzzing and growing well.** **We are thrilled to bring our third BrowserStack QA Meetup on March 12th!** 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** * **[Sam Gomez](https://www.linkedin.com/in/samueljgomez/)** is presenting "AI is more than LLMs: Choosing the right AI for your needs." **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:** March 12, 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:** AI is all the hype these days; however, despite (or maybe because of) the excitement around it, a high percentage of AI projects fail. Projects that are over budget, delayed, or that fail to scale past the POC phase are very common. In many of these scenarios, choosing the right approach can be as critical as the solution itself. Should you build a tailored machine learning model, leverage the power of large language models (LLMs), or integrate with AI copilots? Each option has unique strengths, trade-offs, and resource requirements, and the key to success lies in aligning your choice with your business goals and technical constraints. In this talk, we will go beyond the basic concepts and definitions to provide a practical guide that allows attendees to navigate these decisions through real-world case studies. We will examine scenarios in which different AI paradigms were chosen, discuss the factors that influenced those decisions, and outline the process for evaluating needs, constraints, and outcomes. From assessing data availability and team expertise to balancing cost and scalability, you'll gain insights into the critical considerations that guide the selection process. By the end of this session, you’ll have a clear process for determining whether machine learning, LLMs, or copilots are best suited to your AI challenges and understand the resources and strategies needed to bring your chosen solution to life. This talk is ideal for decision-makers, technical leads, and innovators seeking to demystify AI implementation and maximize the impact of their investments.

**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** *Spec-Driven Development with GitHub Spec-Kit: From Intent to Implementation* Spec-driven development flips the traditional workflow on its head: instead of code being the source of truth, the specification becomes the backbone of design, collaboration, and delivery. In this session, we’ll explore how GitHub Spec-Kit enables teams to treat specifications as first-class artifacts—living documents that drive architecture, implementation, and verification. You’ll learn how Spec-Kit helps teams clearly express intent using structured, version-controlled specs that live alongside code. We’ll walk through a practical workflow that starts with defining system behavior and constraints, then progressively refines those specs into testable, automatable outcomes. Along the way, we’ll show how specs can reduce ambiguity, improve cross-functional collaboration, and make design decisions explicit before a single line of production code is written. This talk will cover: --What spec-driven development is (and what it isn’t) --How GitHub Spec-Kit fits into modern developer workflows --Using specs to align product, engineering, and AI-assisted development --Real-world examples of turning specs into implementations with confidence Whether you’re building greenfield systems, integrating AI into your stack, or trying to reduce costly rework, spec-driven development offers a scalable way to move faster without sacrificing clarity. Attendees will leave with concrete patterns and a clear mental model for adopting GitHub Spec-Kit in their own projects. **YouTube Link** TBA

We will show a variety of methods for building agents that run in Microsoft Foundry. This covers the different types of agents: Prompt, Multi, and Hosted, as well as the development lifecycle using evals and traces.

**Presenter:** Auri Rahimzadeh, Principal Software Architect, Momentum3 **Time:** Pizza at 6:00, Presentation Starts at 6:30pm Eastern **Location:** Theoris, 9000 Keystone Crossing, Suite 230, Indianapolis .NET 10 is here alongside a practically rewritten Visual Studio 2026. Learn about the new C# 14 features, VS2026 niceties, and more! Looking forward to seeing you there!

Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/cbus-hug-2026/

Join other experienced and aspiring agile coaches and professionals to: * develop and practice your coaching skills in a peer-to-peer environment * share current successes and challenges in your work environment and get support from each other * learn from each other, build better relationships and experiment with new ideas