Humane Development

Humane Development is a call to treat developers as humans, not objects, and to design processes that respect their well-being. The author recounts a leadership experience where a CEO reduced people to "tasks" and created a culture of speed over sustainability, leading to burnout and a toxic hustle mindset. By naming the problem, the piece shows why that approach fails and why people need autonomy and purpose.

The core argument is that software work is a marathon, not a sprint. Short, unsustainable bursts of effort produce technical debt, morale loss, and turnover. Leaders should set realistic deadlines, explain their purpose, and be willing to adjust them when circumstances change. Honest communication about urgency and estimates builds trust and reduces the pressure to deliver at any cost.

Tooling and rigid processes are also examined. Custom workflow tools often become the process itself, locking teams into inflexible practices. The advice is to adopt lightweight, configurable tools that serve the team rather than dictate it, and to remain skeptical of named methodologies that can ossify into bureaucracy.

Finally, the article champions autonomy: allowing developers to choose when, where, and how they work, and fostering asynchronous communication. By giving people control over their environment and respecting their need for rest, teams avoid crunch, improve morale, and deliver higher-quality software.

Leaders who adopt humane development see fewer burnout incidents, clearer communication, and more sustainable velocity, turning the team into a resilient, self-directed engine rather than a collection of overworked cogs.