Clean code is often treated as a rulebook — a sign of seniority or technical rigor. But in practice, it’s something else: communication.

In this talk, Mariana Lima reframes clean code as an act of empathy. Drawing from her journey from music festival production to software engineering, she explores how structure, clarity, and shared standards are what allow teams — like performers on a stage — to work in sync.

As AI starts generating more code, the role of engineers is shifting. It’s no longer just about writing fast or complex solutions, but about making decisions, providing context, and leaving systems others can understand and trust.

From readable architectures to intentional naming and mentorship through pull requests, this session looks at how reducing cognitive load supports learning, lowers barriers for new developers, and creates more inclusive engineering environments.

Because in the end, every line of code teaches something — whether you meant it to or not.

Audience: Beginner, Intermediate Track(s): AI, Site Building, UX / Design