One of the (most overlooked) principles of the Manifesto for Agile Software Development is that "Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility". All too often, work that focuses on addressing technical issues is deprioritised in the name of focusing on business value.

Is there a case for technical excellence — in code, in architecture, in people — beyond its appearance on a might-as-well-be-hidden page on a manifesto that's over two decades old? Is technical excellence only the concern of technical roles? Is a good architecture in conflict with business value or a vehicle for it?

This session looks to go beyond buzzwords to build a case for technical excellence that appeals to all roles in a development organisation, noting that "The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams".