Sandro Mancuso: A Software Craftsman’s Journey
After over ten years since the Agile summit, software projects are still failing. Many developers don’t behave as software professionals, and managers fail to understand the value of technical practices. The software development industry is still very amateur when compared to other professions. How can we change this? Why was Agile not sufficient? Why are so many clients unhappy with their software projects? Why is it so difficult to find good developers? Our industry needs more professionalism, and that’s what Software Craftsmanship brings to the table. In this talk, Sandro will be explaining: what Software Craftsmanship is, the value of technical practices, what it means to be a professional software developer, and what to do to satisfy our customers.
Author: Sandro Mancuso
Sandro Mancuso: A Software Craftsman’s Journey
Sandro Mancuso is a software craftsman, author, co-founder of Codurance, and founder of the London Software Craftsmanship Community (LSCC). He has been coding since a very young age but only started his professional career in 1996. He has worked for startups, software houses, product companies, international consultancy companies, and investment banks. He is also the author of The Software Craftsman: Professionalism, Pragmatism, Pride, a book that explores the values and principles of software craftsmanship and how to apply them in practice.
Sandro’s passion for software development started when he was a kid, playing with his father’s computer and learning BASIC. He was fascinated by creating something out of nothing and making the machine do what he wanted. He soon moved on to more advanced languages like Pascal and C++ and started developing games and applications for fun.
Sandro’s first professional experience was as a web developer in Brazil, working with PHP and MySQL. He quickly realized he wanted to learn more and improve his skills, so he started reading books and blogs, attending conferences and meetups, and practicing code katas. He also discovered the Agile movement and the Extreme Programming (XP) practices, which resonated with his desire to deliver high-quality software that meets the customer’s needs.
Sandro moved to London in 2006, looking for new challenges and opportunities. He joined UBS, a global investment bank, where he worked as a senior developer and technical lead. He was involved in several projects using Java, Spring, Hibernate, Oracle, and other technologies. He also introduced XP practices like test-driven development (TDD), pair programming, continuous integration, and refactoring to his team.
However, Sandro felt that something was missing in his career. He wanted to work with like-minded professionals who shared his passion for software craftsmanship and continuous improvement. He wanted to be part of a community that valued quality over quantity, collaboration over competition, and feedback over assumptions.
That’s why he founded the London Software Craftsmanship Community (LSCC) in 2010, with the help of some friends. The LSCC is a group of software developers who are dedicated to learning, sharing, and practicing the craft of software development. The LSCC organizes regular events such as coding dojos, katas sessions, randori, tech talks, book clubs, and open conferences. The LSCC also promotes the Software Craftsmanship Manifesto, which states:
As aspiring Software Craftsmen, we raise the bar of professional software development by practicing it and helping others learn it. Through this work, we have come to value:
- Not only working software,
but also well-crafted software - Not only responding to change,
but also steadily adding value - Not only individuals and interactions,
but also a community of professionals - Not only customer collaboration,
but also productive partnerships
In pursuit of the items on the left, we have found the items on the right to be indispensable.
Sandro’s vision for the LSCC was to create a safe and supportive environment where developers could learn from each other, exchange ideas, challenge themselves, and grow as professionals. He also wanted to spread the word about software craftsmanship and inspire other developers to join the movement.
In 2013, Sandro co-founded Codurance, a consultancy company that helps clients improve their software delivery processes and develop better software products. Codurance is based on the principles of software craftsmanship and agile methodologies. Codurance’s consultants are experienced software craftsmen who work closely with clients to understand their problems, provide solutions, and mentor their teams. Codurance also offers training courses on TDD, refactoring, clean code, design patterns, architecture, etc.
In 2014, Sandro published his book The Software Craftsman: Professionalism, Pragmatism,
Pride is a collection of essays covering various aspects of software craftsmanship, such as professionalism, technical practices, career development, hiring, culture, etc. The book is based on Sandro’s experiences as a developer, consultant,
mentor, community leader, and entrepreneur. The book is aimed at developers who want to take their craft seriously and become better professionals.
Sandro Mancuso is one of the most influential figures in the software craftsmanship movement. He has been a role model for many developers who aspire to become software craftsmen. He has also catalyzed change in many organizations that want to improve software quality and delivery. He has been a speaker at many conferences and events, sharing his insights and knowledge with the software community. He has also been a guest on many podcasts and blogs, discussing various topics related to software craftsmanship.
Sandro’s journey as a software craftsman is not over yet. He always seeks new ways to learn, improve, and share his craft. He is always open to new challenges and opportunities. He is always eager to help others achieve their goals and dreams.
Sandro Mancuso is a software craftsman, and he is proud of it.