The modern software developer deals with problems beyond the technical domain. Developers are often faced with the need to work through social challenges, whether they are rooted in a single person or the culture of a larger community or business organization. These social problems are often more challenging than technical problems; further, most developers are not trained or provided with adequate documentation to rise above these challenges.

People Hacks are not manipulative and mean-spirited; they are tools of advocacy, mind moving, and simply getting along with others. The talk aims to put developers on the right track to distinguishing between technical and social problems, interoperating with all manners of personalities, and causing change for the better within the organizations they must interact with. Applying these skills is often the difference between gaining traction with a person or organization to solve a problem or a more frustrating outcome. Every developer is better off having People Hacks in their bag o' tricks!