The Chicago Renaissance A History of Software Craftsmanship
Between 2010 and 2015, Chicago became the manifest epicenter for a new way of thinking about software development.
This is the chronological story of a movement that redefined engineering 'craft'. It was born out of local necessity, fueled by a unique convergence of .NET, Ruby, and JVM communities, and solidified through a landmark conference that was itself a response to an industry void. Every in-person interview in this archive was conducted at a Chicago conference, marking this city as the primary laboratory for the movement.
2008: The Precursor (Alt.NET & Libertyville)
Before the 'Software Craftsmanship' brand went global, it lived in the basements and boardrooms of Chicago. A central precursor was Chicago Alt.NET, a group of .NET developers led by Sergio Pereira who were searching for better ways to build quality systems on the Microsoft platform. They were the first to cross-pollinate TDD and Agile methodologies into a community that had historically been vendor-driven.
Sergio Pereira
Precursor / The BlueprintSergio's group was the "gravity well" that brought together like-minded practitioners. His interview was the very first UGtastic recording, providing the community blueprint for everything that followed.
In December 2008, this local energy culminated in a foundational meeting in Libertyville, Illinois. A small group met to answer a simple question: "What does it mean to be a software professional?" Over three months, their conclusions were distilled into the Software Craftsmanship Manifesto, adding "well-crafted software" as a critical extension to Agile values.
2010: The Catalyst (The Agile Rejection)
The movement was forced into the spotlight by a singular event: the 2010 Agile conference in Chicago. Mainstream Agile had become "commercialized," focusing more on project management and Jira boards than on the code itself. When the conference rejected a slew of technical talks from local innovators for being "too practical," the community realized the industry had sidelined the act of creation.
In response, thought leaders like Angelique Martin and the local community created their own venue. Software Craftsmanship North America (SCNA) was born—a conference dedicated entirely to technical excellence and professional pride.
Angelique Martin
SCNA Organizer / ArchitectAngelique built the platform that gave the movement its voice. Her interview reveals the "Why" behind creating a dedicated space for Technical Excellence.
2011-2015: The Laboratory (The Apprenticeship Move)
With SCNA established, Chicago became a laboratory for professional development. Firms like 8th Light and Obtiva experimented with radical transparency. They pioneered the "Craftsman Swap," where developers from competing firms would trade places to share techniques and raise the collective bar of the city's talent.
Micah Martin
8th Light Co-founderMicah helped build the cornerstone of the Chicago craft scene. This interview explores the discipline of building a firm based on the apprenticeship model.
Watch Micah →Dave Hoover
Author of "Apprenticeship Patterns"Dave formalized the apprenticeship metaphor for the modern era, using GeekFest as a safe space for high-fidelity presentation and learning.
Watch Dave →The Cultural Pillars
Beyond the logistics, the Chicago Renaissance was defined by three cultural shifts captured in this archive:
- Ethical Accountability: Robert "Uncle Bob" Martin's call for engineers to be the "authors of the rules that run the world."
- Technical Rigor: Gary Bernhardt's insistence on extreme speed-to-feedback and simple, clean designs.
- The Discipline of Practice: Corey Haines's Global Day of Code Retreat, where writing the "best code you've ever written" was the only goal.
Historical Context: Deeper Questions
Why was Chicago the only place this could start?
Chicago had a unique density of multi-platform talent. It wasn't just a "Ruby city" or a ".NET city"—it was a community city. The convergence of 8th Light, Obtiva, and a strong user group culture created a critical mass that larger, more siloed tech hubs lacked.
How did the 'too practical' talks change everything?
By forcing the community to build their own venue (SCNA), the rejection ensured the movement wouldn't be diluted by corporate Agile interests. It solidified the 'Craftsmanship' identity as one of technical autonomy and professional accountability.
This history is part of a broader effort to preserve technical memory. Explore the full archive of 183 technical conversations here.