Cloud & DevOps Professional

Barbara Forbes

Azure Architect @ Zure, Microsoft Azure MVP, Microsoft Certified Trainer, and GitHub Star. Teacher @ LinkedIn Learning, Speaker and organizer @ conferences.

Barbara Forbes

03 / Speaking

Conference Sessions

Talks, presentations and workshops at tech conferences.

The Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework: What the Docs don’t tell you

The Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure promises a flexible environment where developers have the freedom to innovate while keeping data and resources secure. Sounds great right? It is, but real life implementations can often come with some challenges. Including the first world problem of too much documentation.In this session, we'll look at the Cloud Adoption Framework and how you can use it effectively. I will take your through each step of the Framework and the challenges that came with them in the real world implementations. Spoiler alert: It’s often not the technology that’s the problem! By the end of this talk you will have actionable knowledge to shape your own Azure journey to its fullest potential

Coding in the Cloud: A guide to GitHub Codespaces

With GitHub Codespaces, you can enjoy coding effortlessly, straight from your browser! Use whatever device to write your code. No installation, no fuss. Codespaces are avaliable for everyone with a GitHub account for free. A great opportunity to get a better development experience, whether you are a developer or an operations expert.In this session, I'll walk you through the ins and outs of Codespaces and show you how to create one from your GitHub repo. We'll cover a range of use cases, settings, and how to work with Visual Studio Code to get the most out of your Codespace. By the end of this session, you'll be all set to dive in and start using Codespaces with ease!

Implementing Azure Policies: Before the Portal

As your Azure environment grows, you'll need to find ways to keep everything organized. Especially with structures like the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework, it's important to set boundaries to manage the endless possibilities that Azure has to offer. So you create policies to help maintain control, security, and compliance in your environment.But where do you begin? The options seem endless. Should you use all of them?In this talk, we'll look at the starting point. Guess what; it isn't the Azure portal. We'll see how to determine the policies you need and how to simplify your Azure experience rather than complicate it.We'll also address common challenges and mistakes in Azure policy as seen from the field. At the end, you will have a clearer understanding that will help you make the best choices and make Azure policy work for you.

Coding smarter with GitHub Copilot

AI is changing the way we work. But how do we actually create more value with it?In this session, we’ll see how GitHub’s AI-powered tools, like Copilot and Spark, can support every step of your workflow, from writing issues to shipping and maintaining production-ready code. You may have seen the highlights before, so we’ll focus on what matters: how to get consistently better results, instead of feeling like you’re explaining your code to a toddler.Through live demos, we’ll explore how these GitHub tools can become your (slightly annoying) coworker. One that actually saves time, comes up with options you might miss, and occasionally surprises you in a good way.You’ll walk away with a clear overview and practical tips on which tools and models to use.Let's find out how we can make AI work for us to bring our ideas to life.

This title was written by AI — and that’s only the beginning

What happens when you let AI write your code, your posts, and your plans? Only one way to find out.In this talk, I share what happened when I let AI take over my workflow: writing full coding projects, managing my LinkedIn presence, scheduling my time, creating videos, and even teaching me new frameworks. From hallucinated pull requests to surprisingly useful insights, each experiment revealed how much (and how little) we can delegate to machines. I will tell you my experiences and if I could have predicted them beforehand. You’ll leave with real examples, honest takeaways, and a new sense of how you can let AI help shape your life, without losing the human logic behind it.

AI as Your Sidekick: Real Lessons, Real Results

What happens when you let AI write your code, your posts, and your plans? In this talk I share what happened when I put AI to work across everything: shipping apps to production, managing my LinkedIn presence, automating my planning, even learning new frameworks. Each experiment showed the same pattern: AI gives back exactly as much as you put into managing it. I will tell you what worked, what failed, and how you can improve your own results based on my lessons learned.You'll leave with real examples, an honest cost/benefit breakdown, and a clear sense of how to get more value out of your new artificial friend, without losing the human logic behind it.

04 / Helpful Links

Useful Resources

Links and resources referenced in my videos and content.

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