Software is built by people. What happens when we forget that?
Most software engineers know the feeling.
The late-night incident call. The inherited system nobody wants to touch. The sprint goal that changes halfway through the sprint. The meeting that could have been an email or the email that really should have been a conversation.
Human Software is a novel about those moments.
It is a story about engineers, managers, and the choices we make every day when we build and maintain the systems that run our world.
At its heart, the book asks a simple question:
What happens when we stop taking responsibility for the decisions we make?
Because technology is never just technology. Every system reflects the people, incentives, compromises, and cultures that created it.
Why read fiction about software engineering?
Human Software is not a software engineering textbook. It is not a business book or a management framework.
It is a story.
But stories allow us to explore questions that are sometimes difficult to discuss directly:
- What happens when organisations treat people as resources rather than humans?
- Can engineers remain principled when the systems around them are failing?
- How much responsibility do we carry for decisions made above us?
- What happens when we place too much faith in technology to solve human problems?
- How should we think about AI when the people using it still matter most?
Books such as The Phoenix Project and The Goal explore how organisations work.
Human Software asks a different question:
Why do we work this way?
Who is the book for?
It’s for anyone and everyone who is interested in learning a little more about how the world of always-on software really works, as well as those who want to read a story about data centres, AI and the games that corporations play to get their people to work the long hours. But for some groups of people, it may chime differently.
Software engineers
For anyone who has supported fragile systems, worked on legacy code, joined an on-call rotation, or wondered whether the people making decisions really understand the consequences.
Engineering leaders
For managers and executives thinking about culture, transformation, AI adoption, and the human impact of technical decisions.
Anyone working alongside technology
You don’t need to write code to recognise the challenges in Human Software. At its core, this is a story about people trying to do the right thing inside complicated systems.
A conversation starter for teams
Many technology teams use books to explore architecture, delivery, and ways of working. Fiction offers another perspective: it allows teams to discuss the emotional and ethical side of engineering.
Human Software works well for:
- Engineering team book clubs
- Leadership discussions
- AI ethics conversations
- Developer communities
- University and coding bootcamp reading groups
A free discussion guide is available to help teams explore the themes raised by the novel.
What readers have said
“Human Software is a genuine, heartfelt novel that lets us see what it might be like for technical teams when AI tools are introduced, and one I won’t forget anytime soon.” – Jeremy Markey, Rands Slack Book Reviewer
“A sharp, compelling novel about what happens when human values collide with profit-driven corporate change fuelled by AI. David versus Goliath in the age of AI.” – Susanne Kaiser, Tech consultant
“A proper page turner that is part thriller, part whodunnit and a fine dystopian parable.” – Charles Humble, Tech consultant and journalist
Each copy comes with a free downloadable discussion guide to spark meaningful conversations.
👉 Start a Book Club — Get the free discussion guide and order Human Software for your team.
👉 Get the First Three Chapters for free
👉 Contact the Author — Invite to speak at your next book club meeting. Get in touch here.