How to Lie with AI: Understanding Bias, Ethics, and the Hidden Risks in Machine Learning

Description:
Do you understand AI well enough to spot a lie?
I will dive into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence and machine learning, focusing on how bias can infiltrate AI models. Attendees will explore real-world examples of biased AI decisions, learn how machine learning models can "lie," and discuss the ethical challenges this poses. Through case studies like COMPAS and image classification failures, we’ll uncover how biased data can lead to problematic outputs. By the end of the session, attendees will gain practical strategies to identify, prevent, and mitigate AI bias in their own work.
Takeaways:
Understanding AI and Bias through real-life case studies
Ethical Concerns and Practical solutions
Future of looking ahead

Most Expensive Design Mistakes (Ever) and how to avoid them

Description:
QAs work to make sure goods and services are designed, Description: developed, and made to meet or exceed consumers’ expectations and requirements. But, isn’t UX doing the same? Having the users in mind is what connects these areas to build better products.
A fantastic User Experience is what makes the difference when customers choose between one product or another. Considering that, it only makes sense that QAs and UXrs join forces and help build great experiences from their own perspectives. Why not have a system that considers the best of both worlds?
As you’d know, the saying that “good design is obvious” is a tale as old as time. As Steve Krug once said, “Your goal should be for each page or screen to be self-evident, so that just by looking at it the average user can say “I get it.” - Steve Krug.
Takeaways:
How to create effective visual hierarchies
How to don’t reinvent the wheel
How to nor we allow personal feelings to take over the process and how ask the right questions

Unmasking the "T" in Technical Program Manager Role

Description:
Technical Program Managers (TPMs) are cross-functional leaders who specialize in bringing people and organizations together to accelerate turning ideas into products and difficult problems into solutions.
For this reason, understanding the TPM role is not only useful for those working with TPMs or who are TPMs themselves, but for anyone in tech who cares about efficiency and wants their team to execute better.
Having technical depth allows TPMs to drive accountability by being part of the process from end-to-end, not just tracking its progress in a spreadsheet.
According to Farheem Kahn, a senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft, the TPM role may seem like a PM role with expanded technology knowledge, but it is more likely that a person with technical skills (e.g., software developer) expands their PM skills.
Most people don't like process, but processes can save us from the pitfalls of our good intentions. We just need to be cautious about the processes that really matter.
If it's not clear to you why companies like Uber, Microsoft, Snowflake, Amazon, Netflix and many others have TPM roles and see value in them—and I admit that it can be a gray area depending on the company's needs—let's discuss it.

Takeaways:
Understand how TPMs interact with different roles.
Understand the challenges that TPMs from different organizations and industries
Understand how TPMs can drive organizational change, promote agility, and foster a culture of continuous improvement

Mastering Software Quality: A Blueprint for Starting Fresh

Common sense dictates the need for quality engineers, as they unquestionably enhance the value of delivered products. If you're a developer or engineering manager, you might be asking yourself: 'How can we establish a test strategy from scratch?'

During this presentation, I will provide practical tips and tools for instilling quality at various levels that align with the reality of your products. We will delve into the realm of skilled exploratory testing to uncover risks that go beyond the obvious. Additionally, we will explore the effective use of tools at different layers, including unit, component, integration, and UI tests, and observability to yield the best possible results, fostering a sense of unity within the team.

I will share the lessons I've learned and the pitfalls I've encountered during my extensive 10-year journey in the field of quality, working with various development methodologies across diverse products. Over this time, I've come to understand the stark contrast between a strong test strategy and a weak one, underscoring the fact that quality begins long before the first line of code is written.

Key Takeaways:
- The distinguishing factors between a strong and a weak test strategy
- How to seamlessly integrate a 'shift left' strategy into your team's process, supported by tools and practical examples
- A candid exploration of what succeeded and what fell short during my journey to embed quality as early as possible.

Are you testing or just automating?

Abstract:
“We don't need quality engineers - we write automated tests ourselves.” How often have you heard this yourself?

Description:
Even though quality is a team responsibility, developers automating tests without the customer’s point of view could end up only ensuring that your code logic is correct. Exploring the customer's perspectives raising different inputs, and discussing the business problem that we are trying to solve demonstrate that automation is not everything, and there is a lot more to look out for.
Quality is more than simply automating tests, because you can't test quality into a product; it must be built in. To be able to do so, quality engineers being part of the team create a mental model of your customers including their perspective, their needs and their user experience.
In this talk, I will reveal common misconceptions about the QA role in development teams, showing how Quality Assurance Engineers are fundamental and why they should be an active part of the process to achieve the goals of your product.

Takeways:
Common misconceptions about the QA role in development teams
The role of quality engineering in modern software development methodologies
Building a culture of quality within organizations

Listening to Your Body: Using Multiple Physiological Signals to Classify and Manage Stress

Abstract:
Stress is a silent killer, affecting millions of people worldwide and taking a toll on physical and mental health. But what if we could identify and manage stress before it becomes a problem? In this talk, we will explore how multiple physiological signals can be used to classify stress levels and develop personalized stress management strategies.

Description:
This study is part of a major collaboration program between Unisinos (Brazil) and Friedrich-Alexander Erlangen-Nuremberg (Germany) institutions, discussing the advantages of using multiple physiological signals, respecting the unique characteristics of each signal and its potential for classification.
Next, we will discuss the challenges associated with using multiple physiological signals for classification, including signal processing, feature extraction, and feature fusion. We will introduce various methods for addressing these challenges, such as signal filtering, time-frequency analysis, and machine learning and Deep Learning algorithms.
Takeaways:
Deeper understanding of the potential benefits of using multiple physiological signals for classification
Challenges associated with stress detection
Laboratory results and state of the art

Breaking the Impostor Syndrome Cycle: Real Stories of Self-Acceptance and Growth

Abstract:
Have you ever felt like an impostor? How will your colleagues discover that you are a fraud and that you don’t deserve your job? In this talk, I will describe the reasons behind this syndrome with personal experiences, together with a survey conducted with over 100 people around the globe.

Description:
Have you ever felt like an impostor? Have you feared that your colleagues will discover that you are a fraud and that you don’t deserve your job? Impostor syndrome is a psychological phenomenon that hinders people from internalizing their accomplishments that most often affects women and non-binary people.
This feeling of being an impostor plagued me for years, and it wasn't until I started talking to others that I realized I wasn't alone. In fact, I conducted a survey with over 100 people around the world which revealed a lot from others perspectives.
I have seen evidence daily supporting this theory as women are receiving, on average, 59% of men’s average lifetime earnings according to Office for National Statistics’ Human Capital Estimates report. Also, few women are working in management or technical roles. They attribute their own success to luck or timing opportunity, and not to their skills. As you have already seen, in conferences, congress or just looking around to your coworkers, what is the majority of them?
Many authors have identified five types of “impostors”: “perfectionists” are the ones that set high expectations for themselves, “experts” have the feeling that they need to understand every subject, “natural geniuses” have the idea that skills came easily, and if they need to work at it, it's a sign that they are not good enough. “Soloists” are those who find it isn’t acceptable to ask for help and, finally, “supermen” or “superwomen” work harder in all aspects of life, and stress comes when they are not able to deal with it.
In this talk, I’ll go over the impostor syndrome and its five patterns, why women can be more susceptible and retained by impostor feelings and practical strategies for disrupting the impostor syndrome that they can start using immediately to help themselves.

Takeaways:
Comprehend the current scenario based on personal experiences from more than 100 people
Understand how to identify different types of “impostors” in you and other people
Get advice how to overcome the syndrome in real life

Schedule:
0:05 - Understanding audience (Ask to audience what is the role of each one and if they had already felt or seen it)
0:10 - Present speaker
0:15 - Share personal experiences ("have you ever been in a situation where…")
0:20 - Introduction of subject
0:30 - Metrics proving that it's scientifically supported more in women than men (but anyone could have it)
0:40 - Explain different types of “imposters” and its patterns
0:45 - Online quizz to audience understand which type of impostor syndrome they have - https://www.grammarly.com/blog/imposter-syndrome-quiz/
0:50 - Share ways to overcome these feelings by book “Feminist Fight Club”
0:55 - Closing
1:00 - Q&A

From Strangers to Success: How Agile Can Unite Distributed Teams

Abstract:
Picture this: a team of developers spread out across the globe, working on a project together. At first glance, it seems like a recipe for disaster. But what if we told you that with the right approach, this team not only succeeded but thrived? In this session, I will share the story of how Agile principles helped a distributed team overcome the challenges of remote work and achieve success.

Description:
The notion that Agile only works for co-located teams is a common misconception that has persisted for years. However, with the rise of remote work and distributed teams, this view is becoming increasingly outdated. In this session, we will explore the common myths surrounding Agile and distributed teams and provide strategies for breaking down these barriers.
Patrick Lencioni, author of ten business books with over three million copies sold worldwide, identifies five dysfunctions of a team, as described in his book “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable”: inattention to results, avoidance of accountability, lack of commitment, fear of conflict and absence of trust.
I have experienced all of them in my journey. Being part of scrum teams spread among 4 locations was challenging: cultural differences, lack of motivation, and no sense of teamwork were some of the issues noticed. After all, how do you work together when your colleagues are not sitting next to you? I have identified how those principles from the book reflected the daily behavior of the teams while they went over challenges and took practical actions to overcome them.

Takeaways:
Learn how you can deal with cultural differences
Get inspired how you can build teamwork in distributed teams
Understand how you can grow commitment and accountability between team members

When Code Fails: Lessons from the History of Software

Description: Software failures are inevitable, but how we anticipate, mitigate, and learn from those failures is crucial.
In this talk, we will explore iconic examples of software glitches and their far-reaching consequences. We'll delve into the human and technical factors that contributed to these failures, drawing vital lessons that are as relevant today as ever before.
We'll delve into the strategies and principles that underpin the creation of resilient software systems. We'll discuss the importance of robust design, thorough testing, rigorous incident response, and a culture of continuous improvement.
Together, we'll uncover the intricacies of building reliable software and explore how a comprehensive understanding of software's vulnerabilities can empower us to create systems that are not only functional but also reliable.

Takeaways:
Understand the history and causes of significant software failures
Learn actionable strategies for designing, building, and maintaining reliable software systems
Develop a holistic approach to software reliability that encompasses technical and human factors

Effective Collaboration and Communication in Remote Teams

Description:
Today, distributed teams are not only possible but can outperform their co-located counterparts. However, achieving this level of success requires intentionality and a deep understanding of the unique dynamics of remote work.
We'll explore collaborative coding environments, real-time project management solutions, and communication tools that foster asynchronous collaboration. Next, we'll examine the development habits that differentiate high-performing teams: establishing clear communication norms, setting achievable goals, and creating a culture of continuous feedback and improvement. Finally, ee'll discuss strategies for building trust, fostering a sense of belonging, and creating a psychologically safe environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute their best work.
By the end of this talk, you'll have a comprehensive toolkit for building and leading high-performing distributed teams. You'll understand how to leverage technology, cultivate effective habits, and create a culture of excellence that transcends geographical boundaries.
Takeaways:
Discover the key characteristics of high-performing distributed teams
Establish effective communication norms and development habits
Overcome common challenges and pitfalls of remote teamwork

Beyond Words: Bridging Cultural divides for Effective Communication and Collaboration

Description:
In today's interconnected world, navigating cultural boundaries isn't just inevitable, it's essential. But navigating these nuanced landscapes can be fraught with misunderstandings, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities. Enter Erin Meyer's groundbreaking book, "The Culture Map." This talk delves into its insights, equipping you with the tools to decode cultural differences and transform your communication from awkward stumbles to smooth sailing.
However, cultural differences aren't just hurdles to overcome; they're hidden doorways to vibrant innovation and collaboration. This is where "The Culture Map" shines. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different cultural perspectives, we can leverage diversity to spark creativity, solve problems from new angles, and unlock the full potential of our teams.
This talk isn't just about avoiding cultural faux pas; it's about appreciating the different rhythms and rituals of communication. It's about learning to dance to the music of diverse perspectives, opening doors to deeper connections and unlocking unexpected forms of creativity.

Takeaways:
Learn to identify the subtle cues that shape how people interact and work.
Discover strategies for adjusting your communication to ensure clarity, avoid misunderstandings, and foster mutual respect
We'll explore tips for building trust, overcoming challenges, and leveraging diversity to fuel innovation and success.