Deer Valley Grand Hyatt, Utah
February 1–3, 2026
Back to the mountains. Forward to what’s next.
Twenty-five years ago, in these same mountains, a small group of technologists gathered to rethink how software is built. The Agile Manifesto, which emerged from that meeting, shaped the industry for decades.
In February 2026, we return, not to memorialize the past, but to confront a new inflection point: the shift to AI-native software development.
This invite-only retreat, hosted by Martin Fowler and Thoughtworks, brings together a small group of practitioners, researchers, and leaders to ask what responsible and effective software development looks like in an era defined by AI.
Why this moment matters
AI is already changing the craft: how we design, build, test, deploy, and reason about software. Some foundations remain solid. Others are cracking. Teams are experimenting faster than language, principles, or shared understanding can keep up.
This retreat creates space to step back from the urgency of shipping and explore questions we don’t often get space to consider:
How is AI changing day-to-day engineering practice?
What does an AI-native delivery lifecycle look like?
Which skills and mental models will define great teams in the next decade?
How should organizations respond to the new economics of software?
What principles should guide the next era of development?
What this retreat is
A small-format, highly participatory gathering built around 1.5 days of focused exploration and discussion.
No keynotes.
No staged content.
No performance.
This is not a conference.
It’s a working session with peers who are shaping the future of the craft.
Agenda
Sunday, February 1
Afternoon arrivals
6 to 9 pm: Welcome reception and dinner
Monday, February 2
8 am to 5 pm: Unconference sessions and open conversations
6 to 9 pm: Social event and dinner
Tuesday, February 3
8 am to 12 pm: Unconference sessions and closing reflections
Afternoon departures
The retreat takes place at the base of the Deer Valley Ski Resort. If guests would like to make the most of the slopes or explore other seasonal activities, they are welcome to arrive early or extend their stay. The setting is designed to give people time to breathe, think, and settle into the conversations that matter.
What you can expect:
Collaborative, facilitated discussions
Small-group breakouts
Experiences shared openly: what's working and what isn't
Space for critique, reflection and cross-disciplinary thinking
What you’ll leave with
Not a manifesto, or rigid playbook, but something more durable:
Clearer mental models for AI-native development
Practical ideas for evolving your own teams and practices
A sharper understanding of how AI is reshaping roles, workflows, and systems
A network of peers wrestling with the same questions you are
We hope you can join us.
Questions? Reach out to softwaredevretreat@thoughtworks.com