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From Coder to Problem Solver: How Developers Stay Indispensable in an AI World
AI is improving at writing code, but it sometimes struggles to understand people, context, and complex real-world problems. In this session, we explore how developers can stay not just relevant, but indispensable in the age of AI by shifting from a code-first mindset to a problem-first approach. We cover practical skills such as business and problem analysis, communicating effectively with stakeholders, translating vague requirements into clear plans, and orchestrating AI and human work together. You will learn how to use AI as a powerful tool rather than a competitor, and how to strengthen the human skills of judgment, collaboration, and domain understanding that are hardest to automate.
Nick Manor
Sr. Principal
RBA Consulting
Nick Manor is a Sr. Principal at RBA, where he focuses on delivering pragmatic software solutions that solve real-world business problems. With 20 years in the software industry, he has worked across all layers of the stack and partners with organizations of all sizes—from small businesses to large enterprises—to understand their unique needs and build effective solutions.
Outside of work, Nick has spent 15 years mentoring students in FIRST Robotics and enjoys camping and mountain biking.
Patrick Kragthorpe-Shirley
Director of Data and AI
RBA Consulting
Patrick Kragthorpe-Shirley is a Director of Data and AI at RBA focused on enterprise‑scale software, applying AI across development and product workflows while building AI‑powered tools and agents into production systems.