Thinkies are learnable pattern transformations you can use to shift how you see a situation, expand the space of options, and spark new ideas — especially when things feel stuck or prematurely decided. It's not about having the right idea, it's about generating lots of ideas — some of which might be brilliant.
Thinkies help you notice when a conversation or decision is falling into a predictable groove — and then offer you a way to step sideways, flip the frame, or open up new paths.
At the Thinkies World Congress virtual event, you won't just learn about Thinkies — you'll get practice with them.
See What It's All About
Watch this short video to get a feel for what the Thinkies World Congress is — and why you should join.
What to Expect
A hands-on, virtual gathering designed for anyone who wants to strengthen their ability to think creatively and unstick stuck thinking — whether you're a software developer, engineering leader, or simply someone who cares about getting unstuck.
Here's how the experience unfolds:
Main Stage Kickoff
We'll start together with an introduction to Thinkies — what they are, how they work, and why they matter. You'll learn a few powerful transformations to try out.
Virtual Table Practice Sessions
Next, you'll join a virtual table where a facilitator will guide your group in applying a Thinkie to a sticky scenario and collaborating on generating fresh ideas.
The Idea Garden
Finally, we'll share our ideas in a virtual Idea Garden — an open discussion where you'll explore, reflect, and look for patterns. All ideas generated will be open source and available on thinkies.org.
Ready to Unstick Your Thinking?
Join as an attendee or step up as a Thinkies facilitator and guide a table discussion. Once you have your ticket, we'll send everything you need.
Attendee tickets
Early bird $85 USD until May 5
Regular price: $185 USD
Facilitator tickets
$0 with in-kind contribution of helping out
Panel Discussion
Where Does Creativity Come From?
After 2 rounds of Thinkies practice, thought leaders from multiple disciplines share their perspectives on the keynote mainstage.
Sowmya Somanath
HCI Researcher of Creativity Support Tools and Creative Experience Design
Associate Professor and Researcher at the University of Victoria who studies how to design tools that bring creativity to life through hands-on, do-it-yourself making—spanning electronics, fabrication, and interactive technologies.
Marian Petre
SE Researcher of Developer Expertise and High-Performing Teams
Emeritus Professor at the Open University (UK) with over three decades of experience studying high-performing software development teams to understand what distinguishes them — exposing actionable insights into how they think, communicate, design, and solve problems.
Umit Akirmak
Cognitive Psychology Researcher exploring AI, Creativity, and Human Behavior
Cognitive psychology PhD researcher and current Computer Science master's student at the University of Victoria, studying creativity in software development and bringing a cognitive perspective to how people create, collaborate, and adapt when working with AI tools.
Natasha Terry
Wildlife Artist, Creative Mentor, Writer, and Arts Educator
With over 15 years of contemplative practice, she guides people through the creative process in service of personal and collective thriving in harmony with the natural world. She is working to preserve analog and spiritual technologies in art-making through her work at SparrowSongStudio.com.
Arty Starr
Artist, Software Engineer, Researcher and Mystic
2D/3D animator and VFX artist, software engineer with 20+ years of experience, PhD student at University of Victoria and originator of troubleshooting theory — giving developers words to explain what's happening when software gets out of control (cognitive debt phenomena). Also trying to be a more integrated human being.
Kent Beck
Software Design Pioneer, Artist, Musician, and Creator of Thinkies
Helping geeks feel safer in the world by pioneering strategies for shared understanding (design patterns), better feedback loops (TDD), and better ways of collaborating (XP). With Thinkies, he explores how simple creative habits can help people see differently and get unstuck.
TWC II Schedule
May 20th, 2026 · 8:00am – 11:00am Pacific Time
| Time | Activity | Room |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00am PT | Introduction keynote by Kent Beck and Arty Starr | Keynote Room |
| 8:10am | Thinkies virtual table discussion — round 1 | Table Rooms |
| 8:35am | Idea Garden poster sharing for round 1 | Garden Rooms |
| 9:00am | Introducing next set of Thinkies by Kent Beck and Arty Starr | Keynote Room |
| 9:10am | Thinkies virtual table discussion — round 2 | Table Rooms |
| 9:35am | Idea Garden poster sharing for round 2 | Garden Rooms |
| 10:00am | Panel discussion and reflection led by Kent Beck and Arty Starr | Keynote Room |
| 11:00am | Conference Ends |
Ready to Join?
You can join as an attendee or as a Thinkies facilitator and help guide a table discussion. Once you have your ticket, we'll send everything you need to participate in the event.
Attendee tickets
Early bird $85 USD until May 5
Regular price: $185 USD
Facilitator tickets
$0 with in-kind contribution of helping out