Rethinking software development: insights from 20+ years in the field

„If someone is taking a journey, he (or she) can tell a story. Therefore I would take my staff and hat and would choose to travel.“ (Matthias Claudius, 1740-1815)

The present talk was designed with exactly this, 1000-times heard (and slightly updated), German proverb in the back of the mind. It summarizes the gist of 20+ years in the software development business and outlines what the presenter identified as relevant for a productive and thriving survival out there in „the wild“.

The talk covers:

1.) Characteristics of software development (aka „the complex environment“)

2.) What is experience and how do you gain it? (aka „the Dreyfus learning model“)

3.) Cognitive biases and factors of influence related to the software development process

4.) The gist of software development: „Precision, guess work, unreliable data and questionable knowledge“

5.) Observations on humans that code and Hype Driven Development (including the current hype of AI)

6.) (Almost) Eternal & current challenges of software development

7.) Technology & tools

So, have you ever been wondering why we, as a whole community of experts, so often struggle to tame the beast called software development? The "Thoughts on (Modern?) Software Development" talk presents some possible answers to the question why our ongoing fight is - and will very likely remain - a tough one.

Spoiler: Most of the time it is not about what your stakeholders, or you as someone who is directly involved, think it is…

Join us for an online session with Alexander Thurow on deep reflections in software development.

Alex is a freelance software developer, consultant, and speaker based in Überlingen, Germany. With over 20 years of experience in the software industry, he has worked as a developer, consultant, trainer, and lecturer. His main areas of interest include Clean Code, Refactoring, Technical Debt, and knowledge transfer.

In this talk, he shares insights from more than two decades in software development. Through observations, patterns, and reflections, he explores what it really takes to survive and thrive in this complex and ever-changing field.

If you’ve ever wondered why software development still feels so hard - despite all the experience, tools, and knowledge available - this session offers thought-provoking perspectives on why the struggle persists, and why the real challenges might not be what we usually think.

Agenda:

19:00 – Welcome & intro

19:05 – Talk by Alexander Thurow

20:00 – Q&A, open discussion

20:15 – Closing