Skip to main content

Introduction

This workshop began as an exercise and challenge in turning any engaging topic into an interactive session - Pair Programming was my interest and 'Training from Back of the Room' had left its impression on me. In 2013, I reached out on Twitter and quickly found volunteers to test the format—heavily inspired by Code Retreats and the then-emerging ensemble-programming movement. Generous feedback helped me refine the content, and improvements were incorporated over the years.

During its prototype phase, offering a simple “food, travel, and accommodation” package for a two-day event proved an effective model—and let me start generating income through training and consulting on software-development processes. This workshop design was my starting point, and its open-ended pacing paid little heed to marketability or—heaven forbid—“thought leadership.” Frankly, the industry already had more than its share of click-bait gatekeeping.

I attribute the workshop’s limited commercial success to that irreverent approach. While it could have grown into a full-time venture, large-scale marketing would have drained its mojo, turning it into a shallow caricature of its core concepts. Instead, the workshop relied on word of mouth for nearly a decade, with one or two sessions held each year to steady acclaim.

Over time, however, the materials began to age and some initial shortcomings went unaddressed. I have spent the first months of 2025 updating and completing the workshop contents so they’re fully reusable by third parties.

In a world where everything is first, the best, ultimate or some other superlative, this aims to a be well rounded introduction to the topic and still give people experienced in it a way to participate and learn. Nothing more - Nothing less.

History of the Workshop​

  • 2013 – First prototype and initial test runs
  • 2014–2022 – Annual iterations and refinements
  • 2024 – Prototype of the card game and updated content

License​

Where possible, I’ve released this workshop content under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license, and I’ve credited all inspirations and source ideas. In principle, you can recreate and offer this workshop commercially under the same terms. (Note that some assets—such as code samples or logos—may carry different licenses; please check their individual terms.)

The main reason for a liberal license is to streamline contracting: all training materials are available upfront under permissive terms. When clients ask, “Will the training materials be available to us?” I can simply answer “Yes,” without negotiating a long list of deliverables.