Martin Fowler to Keynote at DDD Europe 2026

Posted on 2026-02-16 - 5 minute read

We're honoured to announce that Martin Fowler will be joining us as a keynote speaker at DDD Europe 2026! As Chief Scientist at ThoughtWorks, acclaimed author, and one of the most influential voices in software development, Martin has been shaping how we think about software architecture, design patterns, and agile methodologies for over three decades.

The Voice That Defined Modern Software Development

Martin Fowler is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking books that have become essential reading for software professionals worldwide. His works include Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code, Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture, UML Distilled, and Domain-Specific Languages. These aren't just books, they're the shared vocabulary that allows developers, architects, and domain experts to communicate effectively about complex software challenges.

His book Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture introduced patterns that have become fundamental to how we build enterprise systems today. Concepts like the Domain Model pattern, Repository pattern, and Service Layer are now part of the standard toolkit for developers working on complex business applications.

Articulating Domain-Driven Design

While Eric Evans authored the seminal "Domain-Driven Design" book in 2003, Martin Fowler has been instrumental in articulating and expanding the vocabulary of DDD to the broader software community. Through his writings on martinfowler.com, he has clarified essential DDD concepts including:

Bounded Context - Martin's explanation of this central DDD pattern has helped countless teams understand how to deal with large models by dividing them into different contexts and being explicit about their interrelationships. As he notes, this is the focus of DDD's strategic design section, addressing the reality that different parts of a business often understand the same terms (like "Customer" or "Product") in fundamentally different ways.

Aggregates - His clear articulation that "a DDD aggregate is a cluster of domain objects that can be treated as a single unit" has made this complex concept accessible. His example of an order and its line-items demonstrates how aggregates ensure the integrity of domain objects as a cohesive whole.

Ubiquitous Language - Martin has emphasised that building shared terminology embedded directly into software systems is crucial for tackling complex domains. This language must evolve in the software itself, not just exist on paper.

Event-Driven Architecture - In his talks and articles, Martin has explored the many meanings of event-driven architecture, distinguishing between Event Notification, Event-Carried State Transfer, Event Sourcing, and CQRS, all patterns that intersect powerfully with DDD thinking.

Champion of Agile and Evolutionary Design

Martin was one of the original signatories of the Manifesto for Agile Software Development in 2001. His advocacy for agile approaches isn't just about process, it's deeply connected to how we design software. He champions evolutionary design, arguing that good architecture isn't something created upfront and set in stone, but rather emerges through disciplined refactoring and continuous improvement.

This philosophy aligns perfectly with DDD's emphasis on continuously evolving domain models. As Martin puts it, "to develop software for a complex domain, we need to build Ubiquitous Language that embeds domain terminology into the software systems that we build... DDD stresses doing them in software, and evolving them during the life of the software product."

Contributions to the DDD Community

Martin contributed an essay to "Domain-Driven Design: The First 15 Years," the community-authored book celebrating the anniversary of Eric Evans's original work. This collection brought together leading voices in software design, including Rebecca Wirfs-Brock, Alberto Brandolini, Paul Rayner, Indu Alagarsamy, and many others, to reflect on how DDD has evolved and where it's heading.

Throughout his career, Martin has been a vocal supporter of the DDD community, regularly citing and amplifying the work of DDD practitioners like Vaughn Vernon and Eric Evans himself. His platform has helped bring DDD concepts to audiences who might not otherwise encounter them.

Why This Matters for DDD Europe 2026

Martin's perspective on software architecture centers on a question that resonates deeply with the DDD community: How do we design software systems to maximise the productivity of development teams while building systems that survive change?

His answer involves both technical practices (patterns, refactoring, testing) and human factors (communication, collaboration, managing cognitive load). This holistic view aligns perfectly with DDD's recognition that building great software requires both deep domain understanding and technical excellence.

We look forward to hear Martin's thoughts on the current state of software architecture, how practices like DDD continue to evolve, and what new challenges and opportunities face teams building complex domain-driven systems in 2026.

A Loud-Mouthed Pundit (His Words, Not Ours)

Martin describes himself as a "loud-mouthed pundit on the topic of software development", though we'd say "passionate advocate" is more accurate. What makes his voice so valuable is his willingness to call out bad practices, question prevailing wisdom, and champion approaches that actually work even when they're not fashionable.

Interestingly, despite being recognised as an excellent speaker, Martin has publicly stated that he "really hates giving talks." That’s why he will be interviewed, instead of giving a talk at DDD Europe. When he does take the stage, attendees know they're getting hard-won wisdom delivered with candor and depth.

Ready to explore DDD Europe 2026? Check out our speakers and program to see who's joining us this year.. In the meantime, if you haven't already, explore Martin's writing at martinfowler.com and you'll find yourself going down fascinating rabbit holes about patterns, practices, and the art of software design.