GenAI & BeyondGenAI & Beyond
Meetup120min
BEGINNER

Spec-Driven Development BOF

This informal meetup at Devoxx Belgium invites developers building AI-powered software to discuss Spec-Driven Development. Participants will share practical experiences, challenges, and tips in a community-focused setting, gaining insights into spec-first approaches without formal talks or product pitches, guided by experienced hosts from the AI Native Dev community.

Massimo Re Ferre'
Massimo Re Ferre'Amazon Web Services
Simon Maple
Simon MapleTessl
Patrick Debois
Patrick DeboisAI Native Dev

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Tuesday, October 7, 19:00-21:00
BOF 1
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​AI is changing software development, and we’re really excited and intrigued by the future of it:
  • ​Maybe you’re building software with AI?
  • ​Or building tools that build software with AI?

​Then this meetup is for you. No product pitches, just real experiences from the trenches. And it’s becoming a tradition now: if you’re attending Devoxx Belgium, this is the perfect community event!

​Spec-Driven Development (SDD) is gaining traction as teams look for ways to align faster, reduce rework, and ship with confidence. But what does it reallylook like in practice?

​This Birds of a Feather session is your chance to share stories, trade tips, and ask questions with others exploring or already working in a spec-first world. No slides. No formal talks. Just an open, informal discussion on the challenges, benefits, and practicalities of building from specs before writing code.

​We’ll have a few AI Native Dev community hosts on hand, including Patrick Debois, Simon Maple, Massimo Re Ferrè and Dru Knox to help spark ideas, share insights, and keep the conversation flowing.

​Whether you’re a curious newcomer or a seasoned SDD advocate, come join the conversation and leave with fresh insights, war stories, and maybe even a few new friends.
software
community
specs
ai
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Massimo Re Ferre'

Massimo Re Ferre'

Amazon Web Services

Italy

Massimo is Senior Principal Product Manager at AWS. He has spent most of his time at AWS specializing on compute services (including containers, functions, serverless and more). His current focus area is 'Generative AI' and coding agents specifically.
Simon Maple

Simon Maple

Tessl

UK

Simon Maple is the Founding Head of Developer Relations at Tessl and former VP of Developer Relations at Snyk, ZeroTurnaround, and IBM; a Java Champion since 2014, JavaOne Rockstar speaker, Duke's Choice award winner, Virtual JUG founder, and previously London Java Community co-leader.
Patrick Debois

Patrick Debois

AI Native Dev

Belgium

Patrick is a true pioneer—credited with coining the term DevOps, co-authoring the DevOps Handbook, and launching the very first DevOpsDays back in 2009. Since then, he’s been shaping the tech industry with his unmatched ability to bring development, operations, and now GenAI together in truly transformative ways.

Here’s why you don’t want to miss him:

🔹 Independent consultant at the cutting edge of GenAI and DevOps
🔹 Fractional CTO, advisor, and workshop leader
🔹 Former VP of Engineering, Distinguished Engineer, CTO
🔹 Guided teams at industry giants like Atlassian and Snyk
🔹 Contributor and advisor at AI Native Dev Community
🔹 Active speaker, community builder, and lifelong learner

Patrick is all about raising the bar—helping companies embed engineering rigour into their GenAI journeys, inspiring teams to embrace AI for automation, and advising GenAI platforms on how to truly deliver value. He bridges the gap between management and engineering with a rare mix of deep tech expertise and people-first thinking.
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