Design patterns are not just for architects. In fact, you already use design patterns without even knowing it. Observer, Facade, Iterator, Proxy -- these are just a few of the patterns that you have probably used. But it is really hard to use a tool effectively when you don't even know you are using it. So let's fix that.

In this session, you will learn what design patterns are (and what they are not). You will see both the benefits and consequences of patterns. And you will see several of the Gang of Four patterns that use already use (they may even be built into your programming language). Don't know who the Gang of Four is? You'll learn that, too. Once we understand design patterns, we can find solutions that people way smarter than us have already implemented. This gives us another set of tools that we can use to build great software.