TheZ User Group (ZUG) was established in 1992 to promote use and development of theZ notation, aformal specification language for the description of and reasoning about computer-based systems.^[3][4][5] It was formally constituted on 14 December 1992 during the ZUM'92Z User Meeting^[6] inLondon,England.^[7]

ZUG has organised a series ofZ User Meetings approximately every 18 months initially.^[8][6][9] From 2000, these became theZB Conference (jointly with theB-Method, co-organized withAPCB), and from 2008 theABZ Conference (withabstract state machines as well). In 2010, the ABZ Conference also includesAlloy, a Z-like specification language with associated tool support.^[10]

The Z User Group participated at theFM'99 World Congress on Formal Methods in Toulouse, France, in 1999.^[11] The group and the associated Z notation have been studied as acommunity of practice.^[12]

The following proceedings were produced by the Z User Group:^[13][14]

• Bowen, J.P.; Nicholls, J.E., eds. (1993).Z User Workshop, London 1992, Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Z User Meeting, 14–15 December 1992. Springer, Workshops in Computing.ISBN 978-0387198187
• Bowen, J.P.; Hall, J.A., eds. (1994).Z User Workshop, Cambridge 1994, Proceedings of the Eighth Annual Z User Meeting, 29–30 June 1994. Springer, Workshops in Computing.ISBN 978-3540198840
• Bowen, J.P.; Hinchey, M.G, eds. (1995).ZUM '95: The Z Formal Specification Notation, 9th International Conference of Z Users, Limerick, Ireland, September 7–9, 1995. Springer, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 967.ISBN 978-3540602712
• Bowen, J.P.; Hinchey, M.G.; Till, D., eds. (1997).ZUM '97: The Z Formal Specification Notation, 10th International Conference of Z Users, Reading, UK, April 3–4, 1997. Springer, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 1212.ISBN 978-3540627173
• Bowen, J.P.; Fett, A.; Hinchey, M.G., eds. (1998).ZUM '98: The Z Formal Specification Notation, 11th International Conference of Z Users, Berlin, Germany, September 24–26, 1998. Springer, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 1493.ISBN 978-3540650706

The following ZB conference proceedings were jointly produced with theAssociation de Pilotage des Conférences B (APCB), covering the Z notation and the relatedB-Method:^[13]

• Bowen, J.P.; Dunne, S.; Galloway, A.; King. S., eds. (2000).ZB 2000: Formal Specification and Development in Z and B, First International Conference of B and Z Users, York, UK, August 29 – September 2, 2000. Springer, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 1878.ISBN 978-3540679448
• Bert, D.; Bowen, J.P.; Henson, M.C.; Robinson, K., eds. (2002).ZB 2002: Formal Specification and Development in Z and B: 2nd International Conference of B and Z Users Grenoble, France, January 23–25, 2002. Springer, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 2272.ISBN 978-3540431664
• Bert, D.; Bowen, J.P.; King, S.; Walden, M., eds. (2003).ZB 2003: Formal Specification and Development in Z and B: Third International Conference of B and Z Users, Turku, Finland, June 4–6, 2003. Springer, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 2651.ISBN 978-3540402534
• Treharne, H.; King, S.; Henson, M.C.; Schneider, S., eds. (2005).ZB 2005: Formal Specification and Development in Z and B: 4th International Conference of B and Z Users, Guildford, UK, April 13–15, 2005. Springer, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 3455.ISBN 978-3540255598

From 2008, the ZB conferences were expanded to be the ABZ conference, also including abstract state machines.^[15]

Successive chairs have been:

• John Nicholls (1992–1994)
• Jonathan Bowen (1994–2011)
• Steve Reeves (2011–)

Successive secretaries have been:

• Mike Hinchey (1994–2011)
• Randolph Johnson (2011–)

• Formal methods

• Z User Group

• 1992 establishments in the United Kingdom
• Organizations established in 1992
• Formal methods organizations
• Z notation
• User groups
• Computer clubs in the United Kingdom

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• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use dmy dates from April 2022