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Jim Highsmith. 14 July

Fri 14th July 2023 - 08.00 - 08.45am AEST/
Thu 13th July 2023 - 4.00 - 4.45pm MDT
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Wild West to Agile: Adventures in software development evolution and revolution by Jim Highsmith
How 17 adventurous techies changed the world: A story of the origins of the Agile Manifesto

In 2023, "technology is your business--no matter what your business." But how did we get here and how could a historical perspective prepare us for the future?

Jim Highsmith tackles the evolution and revolution of software development, embellishes them with personal experiences, from the Apollo moon mission to modern digital transformations, and introduces the adventurous pioneers--from structured era developer Ken Orr to Agile methodologist Kent Beck--who strived to make the world a better place, by building better software.

Jim's six-decade career has encompassed the Wild West (1966-1979), to Structured Methods and Monumental Methodologies (1980s), to the Roots of Agile (1990s), to the present Agile Era (2001-present). In each era, he explores the evolution of software development methods, methodologies, and mindsets.

Whether you are from the 1970-1980's generation looking for an "I was there too" moment, a newer generation interested in the evolution of software development, the Agile generation interested in how Agile methodologies were born and evolved, or have a general interest in information technology, Wild West to Agile has something for you.

Jim Highsmith retired as Executive Consultant at ThoughtWorks, Inc. in 2021. Prior to Thoughtworks, he was Director of Cutter Consortium’s Agile Project Management practice. He has nearly 60 years’ experience as an IT manager, product manager, project manager, consultant, software developer, and storyteller. Jim has been a leader in the agile software development community for the past three decades.

Jim is a coauthor of the Agile Manifesto, a founding member of The Agile Alliance, coauthor of the Declaration of Interdependence for project leaders, and co-founder and first president of the Agile Leadership Network. Jim consulted with Information Technology organizations and software companies worldwide.

Lead author of multiple books on software development, Jim is the recipient of the 2005 International Stevens Award for outstanding contributions to systems development.
He is a coauthor of the Agile Manifesto and the Declaration of Interdependence for Project Leaders.
Jim is also a founding member of The Agile Alliance and co-founder and first president of the Agile Leadership Network.

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