Greater Wisconsin Software Symposium - No Fluff Just Stuff

Greater Wisconsin Software Symposium

May 28 - 29, 2026

Michael Carducci

Michael Carducci

Software Architect & Magician

Michael Carducci spent years learning to see things as they actually are; first as a magician, then as a software architect, now as both simultaneously. And somehow that’s not even the whole story.

He’s the author of Mastering Software Architecture (Apress, 2025) and is currently writing The Semantic Layer. He has spent over 25 years following interesting problems; through roles from individual contributor to CTO and back again, across industries and continents.

As a speaker, he applies the same toolkit he uses in close-up magic: attention, misdirection, timing, storytelling, and the instinct to take the long way around when that’s where the truth lives. Audiences at hundreds of conferences across four continents have described his talks as the kind that change how you think about a problem rather than just what you know about it.

He also makes YouTube videos about technology and curiosity with his wife Kate, because some ideas are too important (or too interesting!) to leave only in conference rooms.

Presentations

Thu 8:45 AM When Code is Cheap, Architecture is Everything
Architecture in the Age of AI
Thu 10:30 AM Agile Architecture
Thu 1:15 PM Six Secrets to Succeeding with Microservices
Thu 3:00 PM Why AI Acceleration Keeps Slowing You Down
The Paradox of Speed vs Delivery
Fri 8:45 AM Your data is worthless to AI (Without a semantic layer)
Here's How to Fix It...
Fri 10:30 AM Your data is worthless to AI (Without a semantic layer)
Here's How to Fix It...
Fri 1:15 PM 3rd Generation Agentic AI
Solving Integration, Intelligently
Fri 3:00 PM Refactoring REST APIs for the Last Time: Strategies for a Future-Proof Design