Software Engineering Identity Crisis with Annie Vella

“Many of us became software engineers because we found our identity in building things. Not managing things. Not overseeing things. Building things. With our own hands, our own minds, our own code. But that identity is being challenged.” In this episode of the HangarDX podcast, Ankit Jain, co-founder and CEO of Aviator, talks to Annie Vella about the software engineer’s identity crisis, why engineers are so attached to writing code, and how they can prepare for a rapidly evolving future. 00:00 The Identity Crisis in Software Engineering 04:52 Transitioning from Engineering to Management 09:55 The Engineer-Manager Pendulum 14:56 The Evolution of Software Engineering Roles 19:54 AI's Impact on Software Engineering 24:46 Building Trust in AI and Human Collaboration 29:34 Skills for the Future of Software Engineering 34:39 The Future of Software Engineering About Annie Vella Annie is a lifelong computer enthusiast with two decades of hands-on engineering and technical leadership experience. Currently a Distinguished Engineer at Westpac New Zealand, she focuses on resilient systems, cross-org opportunities, and quality-first engineering processes. In 2024, she began a part-time Master’s of Engineering in Software Engineering at the University of Auckland, researching the impact of AI on the profession itself. About Hangar DX (https://dx.community/) The Hangar is a community of senior DevOps and senior software engineers focused on developer experience. This is a space where vetted, experienced professionals can exchange ideas, share hard-earned wisdom, troubleshoot issues, and ultimately help each other in their projects and careers. We invite developers who work in DX and platform teams at their respective companies or who are interested in developer productivity.