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Annie Vella is a software engineer and tech leader passionate about AI and systems thinking, with hobbies in cats and horror.

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AI Quantum Computing Deming Systems Thinking Technology

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AI tools are transforming software engineering by shifting focus from coding to supervisory roles, leading to a productivity-experience paradox for engineers.
The blog post discusses the evolution of software engineering, highlighting the transition from deterministic to non-deterministic systems due to the introduction of AI components like large language models (LLMs). It emphasizes t...
The retreat on the future of software development revealed widespread uncertainty about AI's impact, emphasizing the need for ongoing dialogue among industry leaders.
The author reflects on the nature of coding, emphasizing that writing code is more about modeling and understanding processes than merely knowing syntax. They discuss the evolution of software engineering, the impact of AI on the ...
The author reflects on a transformative 2025, highlighting the profound impact of AI on their work and personal life, alongside significant public speaking and writing achievements.
The article discusses the 'competence penalty' faced by women in engineering, particularly in the context of AI-assisted work. Research shows that female engineers experience a 13% reduction in perceived competence compared to 6% ...
Annie Vella shares her transition from a science-focused background to becoming a writer, emphasizing the importance of communication and her contributions to various publications.
The text discusses the recent releases of Claude Code and OpenAI Codex, which are terminal-based AI coding tools. The author explores their capabilities and potential to automate various aspects of the development workflow, emphas...
The article discusses the impact of AI on software engineering, emphasizing the importance of the slow, deliberate process of learning and developing intuition. It highlights the danger of relying too heavily on AI tools and short...
The text discusses the identity crisis faced by software engineers due to the rise of AI coding assistants. It explores the shift from creators to orchestrators, from builders to overseers, and the potential impact on the professi...
The text discusses the power of simplicity in building effective systems, using the example of the author's experience at Trade Me. It reflects on the success of the company's simple and efficient approach to software development,...
The text discusses the impact of AI-driven development on the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). It highlights the challenges and pressure points that emerge as code generation accelerates with AI tools. The text also explores...
The author, a software engineer with 20 years of experience, shares their experiences using an AI coding assistant called Windsurf. They discuss the benefits, challenges, and surprising aspects of using the tool, emphasizing the n...
The text discusses the concept of agentic AI and its potential for automation. It mentions the rise of agentic AI, popular frameworks for agentic AI, and the challenges of non-deterministic systems. The author also shares their ex...
The text is a reflection on the author's personal and professional growth in 2024. It discusses her passion for continuous learning, exploration of various intellectual domains, and the impact of AI on her work at Westpac NZ. The ...
The text discusses the impact of AI on software engineering, arguing that AI is changing the nature of the profession. The author, a software engineer, reflects on the evolution of the field and the rise of specialisation, highlig...
The text discusses the importance of defining problems thoroughly before attempting to solve them, drawing on the wisdom of Albert Einstein and the author's experience as a software engineer and technical leader. It emphasizes the...
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Annie Vella shares her journey of overcoming her fear of public speaking and embracing opportunities to speak at various events, conferences, and podcasts. She lists her upcoming and past speaking engagements, panels, and podcasts...
The text discusses the concept of agentic AI, which involves multiple specialized AI agents working collaboratively to achieve complex goals. It explores practical implementations of agentic AI, such as the Vision Agent and MetaGP...
The text is a recap of a talk given by Annie Vella at StaffPlus London 2024, where she discussed the relevance of W. Edwards Deming's teachings in the modern world of technology, particularly for Staff+ Engineers. She highlighted ...
Russell Ackoff, a pioneer in Systems Thinking, emphasizes the importance of understanding systems as a whole, rather than just their individual parts. He distinguishes between analysis and synthesis, with the latter providing deep...
The text discusses the differences between transactional and developmental leadership in the tech industry. It emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement and innovation, and provides practical examples of developmental le...