In today’s engineering world, we’re surrounded by powerful tools, AI-assisted workflows, and endless online learning. Yet somehow, the human element of software development—the community—is quietly vanishing.

In this session, David McCarter shares how the decline of in-person collaboration, slashed training budgets, and a metrics-obsessed corporate mindset are eroding code quality and developer morale. But this isn’t a nostalgic rant—it's a rallying cry to bring back what made this industry great: mentorship, connection, and pride in our work.

You’ll hear real stories, personal experiences, and practical ideas for reviving community engagement—whether you’re an engineer, team lead, or exec. Let’s stop coding in isolation and start creating software people truly love—together.

Target Audience:
Software Engineers (Mid-Level to Senior)
Team Leads & Engineering Managers
Developer Advocates & Community Organizers
Technical Decision-Makers

This session is based on my widely shared article: "The Day the Software Community Died: Let’s Stop Coding in Isolation and Start Creating Community—And Software—People Truly Love."

Includes real-world examples from over 30 years in software, Microsoft MVP experiences, and running developer user groups.

I am happy to incorporate Q&A or an optional discussion circle post-talk.