Software Product Management

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.

🗒️ Details Join us for an observability and AI-focused meetup hosted at Clare & Don's Beach Shack, in Falls Church VA 📋 Agenda 🎉 5:30 Introductions, food and drinks (we'll be at [Clare & Don's!](https://clareanddons.com/)) 🎙️ 6 - 6:30 Tech Talks: AI & Observability 💬 6:30 Networking and Q&As 🔚 7:30 The End The event is well-suited for DevOps and Site-Reliability engineers, and we welcome people new to Grafana or observability. We look forward to seeing you there! Speaker info and talk abstracts: Rob Santos, Senior Solutions Engineer @ Grafana Labs Vishal Nakra, Senior Manager, Solutions Engineering @ Grafana Labs

**Save the date!** We’re bringing the community together on **May 7, 2026** for a high‑impact meetup focused on connection, innovation, and what’s next. While final details are still taking shape, this is one date you won’t want to miss. 🚀 **RSVP now** to: * Lock the date on your calendar * Get event updates as soon as they’re announced * Be first in line for location, agenda, and special surprises **Event Details:** 📅 Thursday May 7th, 2026 ⏱️ 5-7PM 📍 Microsoft Reston Garage, 11955 Freedom Drive, 2nd floor, Reston, VA Whether you’re here to learn, share, or level up your network, this meetup is designed to energize and inspire. More details coming soon. 👉 *RSVP to stay connected:* https://tinyurl.com/maycloudmeetup

Join us for an evening of deep product insights and conversation with Steve Johnson, CEO of Product Growth Leaders. Most product managers aren’t struggling because they lack frameworks, data, or AI tools. They’re struggling because they’re talking to the wrong people. Instead of learning directly from customers, they rely on second-hand input—sales requests, executive opinions, support tickets, dashboards, and now AI-generated summaries of all of it. The result? Noise. Misalignment. And products that look good on paper but miss the market. AI can process more data than you ever will—but it can’t replace direct human understanding. It can’t see hesitation. It can’t hear what’s not being said. And it certainly can’t build trust with a customer who doesn’t believe you yet. That’s where product managers have an advantage—if they choose to use it. In this session, you’ll learn how Customer Conversations cut through the noise and become your most powerful differentiator. Not as a research technique, but as a leadership behavior that builds market insight, credibility, and better decisions. Through real stories and practical methods, you’ll learn how to: • Talk to the right people at the right time in the product lifecycle • Ask questions that uncover real problems • Validate ideas before you build them Because in a world where AI can generate answers at scale, the product manager who understands customers firsthand becomes the one who asks better questions—and makes better decisions. AGENDA 6:00 - 6:30 pm: Welcome and Registration. Refreshments provided. 6:30 - 7:00 pm: Talk by Steve Johnson (CEO at Product Growth Leaders) 7:00 - 7:15 pm: Q&A 7:15 - 8:00 pm: Networking ABOUT THE SPEAKER Steve Johnson is a product success coach focused on removing the chaos from product planning. He uses modern methods to guide product teams from idea to market in only a few weeks. Steve has trained tens of thousands of product professionals in his career. He is a former instructor and vice president at Pragmatic Institute and the chief architect of the popular Quartz Open Framework.

Important: Register on [AICamp website](https://www.aicamp.ai/event/eventdetails/W2026043014) is required for admission. **Description:** Join us for a community-led developer event focused on AI-assisted coding with GitHub Copilot. This event brings together developers to explore practical workflows, real-world use cases, and hands-on experiences using GitHub Copilot. Whether you are new to GitHub Copilot or already using it, this event will help you better understand how to apply AI-assisted coding techniques in everyday development. **Speakers/Topics:** \- Reynald Adolphe\, Microsoft\. Stay tuned as we are updating speakers and schedules. If you have a keen interest in speaking to our community, we invite you to submit topics for consideration: [Submit Topics](https://forms.gle/JkMt91CZRtoJBSFUA) **Sponsors:** We are actively seeking sponsors to support AI developers community. Whether it is by offering venue spaces, providing food, or cash sponsorship. Sponsors will not only speak at the meetups, receive prominent recognition, but also gain exposure to our extensive membership base of 5,000+ AI developers in D.C and 500K+ worldwide.

**IMPORTANT! Please register on [Luma page](https://luma.com/klm98cuc)** *Ignore the displayed time — it’s 5:30pm VA time.* AI is making us faster than ever — and at the same time, quietly questioning our place at work. ​We’re all feeling it: tools that boost output in minutes, automate entire workflows, and sometimes… do the job better. So where does that leave the human? ​This conversation dives straight into that tension — no sugarcoating, no generic optimism. Just real perspectives from people working inside the shift. ​ **Speakers:** [Nina Borysova, MBA ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nborysova/?utm_source=luma)**Director, Product Management Technical (PMT), Data Analytics and AI Solutions, Mastercard** **​**[Dr. Volodymyr Tkach ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/volodymyr-tkach/?utm_source=luma) CEO \| Ph\.D\, Associate Professor \| MIT Research Fellow \| Cybersecurity\, Threat Intelligence\, Anomaly Detection\, Artificial **​We’ll unpack:** ​– where AI actually boosts productivity vs. where it replaces thinking ​– which roles are evolving — and which are quietly disappearing ​– how teams are restructuring around AI (and what that means for individuals) ​– how to stay valuable when execution becomes automated ​– what “creative work” even means when AI can generate ideas on demand ​– the psychological side: anxiety, denial, adaptation ​If you’re feeling both excited *and* uneasy about AI — you’re not alone. And you probably shouldn’t ignore either feeling. ​Come for clarity. Leave with a more honest map of what’s ahead.

We invite you to an in-person session in Seattle exploring the real impact of AI on knowledge-driven industries — from shifting economics and the disruption of traditional SaaS and consulting models to where organizations can still build lasting competitive advantage. As AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini continue to redefine how work gets done, organizations face a critical question: how can they adapt, remain competitive, and create lasting value? We’ll discuss practical strategies for integrating AI while preserving human expertise, along with actionable approaches to upskilling teams for an AI-driven workplace. Drawing on real-world experience from training thousands of professionals and deploying AI solutions, this session will provide clear, applicable insights for today’s evolving landscape. Following a short presentation, the session will open into an interactive discussion where attendees can share perspectives and explore key questions around the evolving role of humans, organizational adaptation, and staying competitive in an AI-first world. **Who should attend:** • Executives and managers in SaaS, consulting, and knowledge-driven organizations • Professionals exploring AI upskilling and workforce transformation • Anyone interested in the future of AI and knowledge work 📍 **Location:** Data Science Dojo, 5010 148th Ave NE, Suite 200A, Redmond, WA, United States 🔗 **Google Maps:** [https://lnkd.in/d8WA-yNc](https://lnkd.in/d8WA-yNc) **💻 Online Access:** A livestream will be available for those unable to attend in person; however, the full interactive experience is reserved for in-person participants.