Keynote 1

It Only Takes One Genius

Isabel Evans

09:15-10:15 CEST Wednesday 14th June

Our projects are hard. We wrestle with difficult, intractable problems. Would we make more progress if we had some more geniuses? Or even one genius…? Surely, it would only take one genius…One genius to deliver? Or one genius to totally mess it up? Designing and building software is not a solitary occupation. We work in groups, not because that is more fun, but because the problems and challenges we face are too complex for one person, however clever, to resolve. A single genius, or even a team of geniuses, might fail badly. A well-balanced, egoless team, where everyone contributes and is respected for their skills and viewpoints, is perhaps a surer route to success.