Mastering LLM Instrumentation and Test Automation
Building and scaling LLM-powered applications is no walk in the park! Unlike traditional software, LLMs can unpredictably generate different outputs from the same input, making it incredibly tricky to optimize, troubleshoot, and maintain these systems. Even the smallest tweak could cause the entire chain to break. So, how can we turn this wild unpredictability into a reliable system at scale? Enter LangSmith, a tool designed to tame the complexities of LLM instrumentation and test automation.
In this session, we’ll dive into how LangSmith offers deep insights into the behavior of large language models, revealing performance bottlenecks, bias patterns, and other anomalies—all in real-time! We’ll also roll up our sleeves and get hands-on with live demos, showcasing how to implement automated testing pipelines that validate LLMs across various tasks and domains.
This isn't just theory—this is battle-tested automation designed to make life easier for AI engineers and DevOps pros working in the fast-paced world of LLMs. Whether you're optimizing for performance, debugging unpredictable behavior, or ensuring ethical compliance, LangSmith (or tools like it) will be your secret weapon to streamline development cycles and raise the bar on reliability.
By the end of this talk, you’ll walk away with actionable, cutting-edge strategies to productionalize LLM applications with confidence. Expect a fast-paced, demo-rich session full of insights that will change how you manage and optimize your AI-driven projects!
Date and Time
Tuesday, 11/12/2024
5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Free Food and Networking
6:00 PM - 6:15 PM Announcements
6:15 PM - 7:30 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
Milwaukee Tool, 13135 W Lisbon Rd, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click
here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Cameron Vetter is a technologist with 25 years of experience using Microsoft tools and technologies to create products. He has experience in Technical, Leadership, and Managerial roles in many different sized organizations.
Cameron is the AI Practice Director at New Resource Consulting, a technological innovation leader focused on delivering transformative business impact to clients. He helps clients build technology roadmaps and Architect, Design, and Develop software focusing on Deep Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Architecture, and Mixed Reality.
Cameron enjoys sharing what he has learned by speaking at national, regional, and local conferences, including THAT Conference, Microsoft Ignite, The Midwest Architect Community Conference, AI DevWorld, Codemash, and many others.
In 2019, he was named a Microsoft MVP for Artificial Intelligence– one of the first honorees in the U.S. and he is now a 6 time MVP award winner for evangelism in the Deep Learning and Generative AI space.
Registration is currently closed.
UX Marks the Bot: Navigating the Human Side of AI
Is your AI user-friendly or just...friendly? Dive into the intriguing world where sleek algorithms meet human quirks. Join our panel of UX maestros who've danced with AI and lived to tell the tale! Discover why user experience is the secret sauce that transforms artificial intelligence from cold code into engaging companions. Whether you're decoding data, squashing bugs, engineering solutions, or managing the madness, this session is your ticket to unlocking AI's true potential—with a wink and a smile. Get ready for stories, insights, and a fresh perspective on making smart software that people actually want to use!
Date and Time
Thursday, 10/17/2024
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM Announcements Followed by the Interactive Agile Discussion
Location
Continuus Technologies
301 N Broadway Suite 204, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Enter on Buffalo Street just west of Broadway Click
here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Moderator:
Ash Dzick is deeply passionate about the growing importance of the intersection of UX and AI. In 2018, she delivered her first talk on the ethical and UX implications of machine learning. Since then, she’s helped develop user research, personas, and strategy for AI projects in healthcare, insurance, and CPG industries. Ash is currently the Senior Manager of UX for Molson Coors Beverage Company and chair of the UX Industrial Advisory Board at Milwaukee School of Engineering.
Panelist:
Jessica Darby is a hands-on Creative Director, Product Designer Manger & Certified Usability Analyst with over 15 years of experience as an empathetic innovator who excels in thinking outside the box and approaching designs holistically to be both functional and beautiful. She believes user experience encompasses so much beyond visual design and her goal with her work is to create a human centered experience throughout each project that focuses on the first touch point of the company to the last. She does this by working across departments to develop cohesion and brand consistency that elevates the entire business.
Damon Sanchez is a human-centered design executive with over 18 years of experience leading private and public sector clients. With an acute sense of brand execution combined with leading and implementing user experience and customer experience strategies, Damon has a proven track record of delivering successful brands, products, and services. As a mentor and coach, Damon manages development, creative, and research teams through hands-on support and leadership. Damon holds an MS in Human Factors Psychology and is working on a PhD in Cognitive Learning and New Technology. Fun facts about Damon involve archery, science fiction, and fantasy, including collecting action figures.
Erik O'Brien, Chief Product Officer at Why of AI, is a product strategy & experience leader with 14 years of cross-industry experience. Erik thrives on uncovering the "juice" (insights) that reshape perspectives on people, categories, and culture. Always seeking the path less traveled, he brings a unique blend of analytical rigor and creative thinking to drive innovation at the intersection of people and technology.
From Mechanical to Mastery: Silent Killers of Scrum Revealed
Many organizations adopt Scrum with high hopes of enhancing agility, productivity, and team collaboration. However, the reality often falls short as teams find themselves trapped in a cycle of going through the motions without realizing the true benefits of Scrum—a state often referred to as "Zombie Scrum" or "Mechanical Scrum."
In this talk, "From Mechanical to Mastery: Silent Killers of Scrum Revealed," we will delve into the critical root causes that lead to these ineffective practices. Targeted at organizational leaders, this session will uncover the often-overlooked variables that silently undermine Scrum's effectiveness. We’ll explore how common organizational behaviors, cultural misalignments, and leadership decisions contribute to these pitfalls and provide actionable strategies for moving from a mechanical implementation of Scrum to an effective state that drives business outcomes.
Date and Time
Monday, 09/16/2024
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
National Business Furniture
770 S 70th St
Milwaukee, WI 53214
Please use the rear entrance. Parking is available on the side and back of the building.
Click
here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors and the hosts at NBF
Speaker Bio:
Chad Beier
Chad is an organizational agility advisor, external change agent, and Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) with Scrum.org. He promotes organizational agility and positive pressure for change through speaking, advising, coaching, and training.
As a trusted advisor, he works with all levels of the organization to optimize your business to respond to change. Developer, project manager, product owner, business owner - Chad has a diverse background that helps him connect with people throughout the entire organization.
In addition to speaking at conferences across the United States, Chad is active in the Wisconsin agile community - organizing meetups in multiple regions (Mad City Agility and Central Wisconsin Agile) and founder of the Mad City Agility Conference.
Jeff Bubolz
Jeff is a Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) with Scrum.org, organizational agility advisor, and speaker. He has been a Product Owner, Scrum Master and Development Team member and has worked with companies ranging from enterprise to small start-ups.
While working with many teams across many companies Jeff has found that most problems are not technology problems, but are organizational structure, process, and people problems. Jeff brings storytelling, a broad array of experience, along with a collaborative approach to teaching and speaking.
Jeff is the co-host of The Agile Wire podcast where he speaks with industry leaders around the world. He also speaks at conferences across the United States. Jeff is active in the Wisconsin agile community - organizing meetups in multiple regions (Mad City Agility and Central Wisconsin Agile) and founder of the Mad City Agility Conference.
Thanks to Wisconsin Agility: https://www.wisconsinagility.com/
How do I get started with AI in my organization?
You've probably noticed that Artificial Intelligence is everywhere. You've probably interacted with numerous machine learning models this week and didn't even realize it. With the rise of generative AI, technologists have found countless ways to apply AI to virtually every vertical market to solve problems and augment human abilities.
AI can be overwhelming to introduce into your products and workflows. In this talk I will give a primer on the current stare of AI and Machine Learning. I will then introduce the process I use to help companies navigate the AI landscape and figure out not only where to get started but also how to develop a roadmap selecting the best wins using AI (and other technology) within their company.
Date and Time
Wednesday, 05/29/2024
5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Free Food and Networking
6:00 PM - 6:15 PM Announcements and Election
6:15 PM - 7:30 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
Landmark Credit Union Corporate office
555 S Executive Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click
here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Cameron Vetter is a technologist with 25 years of experience using Microsoft tools and technologies to create products. He has experience in Technical, Leadership, and Managerial roles in many different sized organizations.
Cameron is the AI Practice Director at New Resource Consulting, a technological innovation leader focused on delivering transformative business impact to clients. He helps clients build technology roadmaps and Architect, Design, and Develop software focusing on Deep Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Architecture, and Mixed Reality.
Cameron enjoys sharing what he has learned by speaking at national, regional, and local conferences, including THAT Conference, Microsoft Ignite, The Midwest Architect Community Conference, AI DevWorld, Codemash, and many others.
In 2019, he was named a Microsoft MVP for Artificial Intelligence– one of the first honorees in the U.S. and he is now a 5 time MVP award winner for evangelism in the Deep Learning and Generative AI space.
The Next Wave of Work Efficiency: How Copilot for M365 is Leading the Change
Discover the dawn of a new era in office productivity with Copilot for M365. We will explore the dynamic ways AI integration within Office applications is reshaping the way we work.
Date and Time
Tuesday, 04/30/2024
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:30 PM Announcements and Presentation
Location
Milliman
Michigan Room
17335 Golf Pkwy Ste 100, Brookfield, WI 53045
Click
here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Anthony Escobedo currently works in an Office 365 role as a Senior Power Platform Cloud Solution Architect for Microsoft. He has over ten years of consulting experience in Information Technology, system design, and implementation for numerous clients, including multiple Fortune 500 organizations. His growth mindset and customer-obsessed passion for problem-solving help him achieve his goals for inclusivity and collaboration in his community.
Ultra-productivity Without Burnout
In today's fast-paced world, the pressure to be productive is at an all-time high. While it's important to achieve our goals and succeed in our careers, it's equally crucial to prioritize our well-being and avoid the pitfalls of burnout. This presentation will explore practical strategies and tips for achieving ultra-productivity without sacrificing your health and happiness.
Key Takeaways:
Setting Realistic Goals: Learn how to set achievable and meaningful goals that align with your values and long-term vision.
Time Management Techniques: Discover effective time management strategies to optimize your workflow, minimize distractions, and maximize your productivity.
Self-Care and Stress Management: Explore essential self-care practices and stress management techniques to maintain your physical and mental health while pursuing your goals.
Building Sustainable Habits: Gain insights into forming positive habits that support your productivity and overall well-being.
Adapting to Change: Learn how to adapt and thrive in the face of unexpected challenges and changes in your personal and professional life.
Target Audience:
This presentation is designed for professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking to enhance their productivity and achieve their goals without compromising their well-being.
Date and Time
Tuesday, 03/19/2024
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
National Business Furniture
770 S 70th St
Milwaukee, WI 53214
Please use the rear entrance. Parking is available on the side and back of the building.
Click
here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Dr. Oliver Degnan
Oliver is a CIO, CTO, author, and inventor passionate about technology innovation, entrepreneurship, and business strategy. He holds technology patents for breakthrough inventions cited by Fortune 50 companies, such as Apple, Google, and Intuit in Silicon Valley.
Over the past 20 years, Oliver led more than 1,600 employees worldwide to disrupt the status quo in healthcare innovation to help prevent physician burnout and improve people's health.
As SVP for IBM Watson Health and CIO for ChenMed, Experity, and Fortium, Oliver led engineering efforts to advance artificial intelligence to improve healthcare patient outcomes and boost operations efficiency toward a sustainable Value-based Care model in the United States.
Oliver is a published author on AI topics and currently works as a fractional CIO and partner with Fortium Partners, supporting healthcare and PE-backed organizations to leverage AI as a competitive advantage to improve people’s health further
AGILITY: It's Just Good Business (agile mindset isn't enough)
Rescheduled!
Why Agile? IT'S JUST GOOD BUSINESS! Mitigate risk, deliver more frequently, increase visiablity, and maintain the ability to change.
Many organizations want these attributes, but are not willing to setup an environment that can execute on these results. Too often when agile is talked about the phrases "agile mindset", "psychological safety", "agile manifesto" are used. It's wishful thinking...and it is not enough. Join us for a talk about how to go from wanting agility to setting up an environment that is just good business.
Date and Time
Thursday, 02/08/2024
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:30 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
Landmark Credit Union Corporate office
555 S Executive Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click
here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Chad Beier
Chad is an organizational agility advisor, external change agent, and Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) with Scrum.org. He promotes organizational agility and positive pressure for change through speaking, advising, coaching, and training.
As a trusted advisor, he works with all levels of the organization to optimize your business to respond to change. Developer, project manager, product owner, business owner - Chad has a diverse background that helps him connect with people throughout the entire organization.
In addition to speaking at conferences across the United States, Chad is active in the Wisconsin agile community - organizing meetups in multiple regions (Mad City Agility and Central Wisconsin Agile) and founder of the Mad City Agility Conference.
Jeff Bubolz
Jeff is a Professional Scrum Trainer (PST) with Scrum.org, organizational agility advisor, and speaker. He has been a Product Owner, Scrum Master and Development Team member and has worked with companies ranging from enterprise to small start-ups.
While working with many teams across many companies Jeff has found that most problems are not technology problems, but are organizational structure, process, and people problems. Jeff brings storytelling, a broad array of experience, along with a collaborative approach to teaching and speaking.
Jeff is the co-host of The Agile Wire podcast where he speaks with industry leaders around the world. He also speaks at conferences across the United States. Jeff is active in the Wisconsin agile community - organizing meetups in multiple regions (Mad City Agility and Central Wisconsin Agile) and founder of the Mad City Agility Conference.
Thanks to Wisconsin Agility: https://www.wisconsinagility.com/
Event Files
UX/UI and the Software Dev Life Cycle
The integration of UX/UI design within the SDLC is not merely a process but a mindset that puts users at the forefront of software development. By fostering collaboration, embracing iterative design practices, and leveraging appropriate tools, organizations can create software that not only meets technical requirements but delights users and ultimately leading to greater success.
Date and Time
Tuesday, 11/28/2023
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:30 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
Landmark Credit Union Corporate office
555 S Executive Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click
here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Ken Otte, Principal UX/UI Product Strategy - Sparq
Ken has over 20 years of UX/UI product strategy experience spanning from local to global, having worked with clients in most industry verticals, including: PepsiCo, Jack Daniel's, Zurich Insurance, Harley-Davidson, Leinenkugel's, and Berkshire Hathaway. He has designed and maintained products and applications for web, mobile, enterprise and Saas on local and scaleable platforms. His design approach is product-centered and he is a strong advocate for user ecosystems.
Demystifying Product Thinking and How it Relates to Every Organization
Join us for an engaging discussion on "Demystifying Product Thinking." In a world where Product Thinking has become ubiquitous, organizations are increasingly embracing a "product-centric" approach. But what does that truly entail?
During this session, we will peel back the layers of abstraction surrounding "product thinking" and delve into its real-world implications. We'll explore what these terms and concepts actually mean and, more importantly, how you can seamlessly integrate and apply them in your daily operations with a practical and adaptable approach.
Don't miss this opportunity to gain actionable insights into harnessing the power of Product Thinking in your organization.
Date and Time
Thursday, 10/26/2023
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
National Business Furniture
770 S 70th St
Milwaukee, WI 53214
** A bridge out south of I94 on 70th Street so enter from Greenfield Ave**
Please use the rear entrance. Parking is available on the side and back of the building.
Click
here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Beth Jagodinsky is a product management leader and practitioner with over a decade of experience discovering and delivering B2B and B2c innovative, digital products from idea to launch. Beth is currently the Director of Product Strategy at Sparq, a product & engineering consultancy. She has experience advising clients across industries from fortune 100 companies to start ups, with the goal of delivering meaningful outcomes by merging user needs with strategic business objectives.
Ryan Finco is a Principal product strategist at Sparq with 20+ years of experience serving a myriad of roles in the product vertical, ranging from the highly tactical, team-centric roles including Product Owner and Scrum Master, to the more strategic business driven perspectives of Product Manager and Transformation Coach. In his career, he has coached and assisted over 70 different organizations in their mission to drive toward delivering real product value, ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies.
Event Files
Registration is currently closed.
Exploring The Rock Crusher: A Flow-Based Model for Backlog Management
The latest publication from the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA®), "The Rock Crusher," offers an agile approach to backlog management, highlighting the power and simplicity of this essential tool in modern agile organizations. This concept emphasizes the importance of the backlog as a single repository from which a team pulls its next most valuable work item, enabling agility through the ability to add, remove, reprioritize, and visualize potential work for a product.
Date and Time
Wednesday, 09/27/2023
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
Concurrency Inc 13600 Bishops Ct, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click
here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
With over 25 years of IT experience, Ms. Wilterdink holds multiple business analysis and agile certifications. As a consultant, Rachael has served clients in the financial, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, non-profit, government, education, and insurance industries. Very active in the professional community, Ms. Wilterdink has served on the boards of both her local IIBA® and PMI® chapters and chaired the Advisory Committees for two local colleges. As a passionate public speaker, Rachael presents various topics at conferences and user groups across the country and the world. Rachael is also a blogger and the author of the popular eBook “40 Agile Transformation Pain Points (and how to avoid or manage them).”
Event Files
Registration is currently closed.
Introducing LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®
Join Dave Snyder, certified LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator, as he introduces you to LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®. Formally, the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP) method is defined as a facilitated thinking, communication and problem-solving technique for organizations, teams and individuals. It draws on extensive research from the fields of business, organizational development, psychology and learning, and is based on the concept of “hand knowledge.” In this introductory session, we will explore some of the theory behind the methodology and look to understand how it can be applied in a software organization or team.
Date and Time
Tuesday, 05/16/2023
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:30 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
Landmark Credit Union Corporate office
555 S Executive Dr, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click
here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Dave Snyder is an experienced software engineer, agile practitioner and Adult Fan of LEGO (AFOL). He believes in using non-traditional methods for achieving business results, as a way to engage people and make sure that all voices not only have a place at the table but can also contribute to a solution. When Dave stumbled across LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, he was intrigued. After attending training, he was hooked.
Registration is currently closed.
Our approach was so hot we messed up our Deployment!
There is no IT value until a service is fully delivered. This includes not only the application being developed, but the ongoing infrastructure management capabilities. Hear a highly entertaining talk on how development projects fail for lack of operational planning and readiness. Learn a successful approach used at other companies that insert operational planning and readiness into their software development lifecycles to ensure a holistic solution is being developed. Learn how operational readiness can be built in parallel with development activities. Hear examples of what works and not works from real industry companies (names withheld to protect the guilty…).
Date and Time
Tuesday, 04/25/2023
5:30 PM - 6:15 PM Free Food and Networking
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM Presentation and Q&A
Location
Concurrency Inc 13600 Bishops Ct, Brookfield, WI 53005 Click
here for map.
Cost
FREE - Thanks to our sponsors!
Speaker Bio:
Randy Steinberg has over 25 years of hands-on IT Service Management, development and operations experience gained from many clients around the world. He was the lead author for the ITIL Service Operation book. He was a Global Head of Service Management for a worldwide media company with 176 operating centers around the globe. He recently led a major IT Service Management transformation project for a large government agency crossing implementation of management technologies, process, organizational and governance changes that was awarded an ITIL project of the year award from itSMF. Randy is also the author of several popular ITIL books: Implementing ITSM, Measuring ITSM, Servicing ITSM and Architecting ITSM focused on IT operations support for application development. One client went on to win a Malcolm Baldrige award for the quality of their IT services. He carries ITIL Expert, ISO20000 and PMP certifications.
Registration is currently closed.
