Most change initiatives in software fail because they optimize for plans, not for behavior. Teams adopt new frameworks, roll out new tools, and attend inspiring training. But when Monday arrives, people do the same thing and the code looks the same.
The problem isn’t motivation or understanding. It’s that systems quietly reinforce existing habits. Until those systems change, behavior won’t.
In this talk, I introduce a behavior-first approach to skill development that makes progress visible early and compounds over time. Instead of persuading people to “believe in” a practice, we treat skill acquisition as a system to be observed.
With specific examples within refactoring and TDD, you’ll learn how to spot where learning is breaking down and how to design for behaviors that actually show up in code, reviews, and delivery.
This session is for tech leads, engineering managers, and technical coaches who want skill growth that holds up under real-world pressure.
Marian Hartman helps teams and leaders create change that actually sticks.She has 17 years of experience in teaching adults in the academic and corporate worlds on how to adopt new behaviours and use new skills to adjust their way of doing things....