What It Takes to Become a Distinguished Engineer at Microsoft with David Fowler I Postman

In this episode of Breaking Changes, Postman Head of Product-Observability Jean Yang interviews David Fowler, a distinguished engineer  @Microsoft  about his incredible journey from Barbados to Microsoft. Get insights into the life of a distinguished engineer, balancing tech and management, and the significance of influence. David shares invaluable lessons on navigating breaking changes and the evolving tech landscape. Don't miss his take on dev tools, industry shifts, and the rise of AI!

 

For more on David Fowler, check out the following: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidfowl/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidfowl Microsoft Website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/

 

Follow Jean on Twitter/X @jeanqasaur. And remember, never miss an episode by subscribing to the Breaking Changes Podcast on your favorite streaming platform or Postman's YouTube Channel—just hit that bell for notifications.

 

#BreakingChanges3 #apis #postman #microsoft #TechLeadership #EntrepreneurialJourney #ProfessionalGrowth #TechInnovation #StartupSuccess #BusinessInsights #EntrepreneurMindset #careersuccess #PersonalGrowthJourney #engineering

 

Episode Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction and Background
03:27 - Becoming a Distinguished Engineer
05:07 - Role and Responsibilities
06:04 - Transition from Games to Developer Tools
08:11 - Influence and Impact
10:33 - Impact through Influence
12:41 - Balancing Technical and Managerial Roles
16:00 - Introducing Breaking Changes
19:08 - Lessons from Breaking Changes
21:14 - Personal Breaking Changes
26:03 - Longevity at Microsoft
29:03 - The Value of Long Tenure
32:14 - The Craftsmanship of Dev Tools
33:02 - Identifying Changes Worth Paying Attention To
34:31 - Deep Diving into New Technologies
35:37 - Nurturing Technical Minds in Organizations
37:15 - Fostering Technical Leadership
38:29 - The Need for Technical Role Models
39:40 Technical Strategy and Decision Making
43:17 - Underrated Breaking Changes in the Industry
46:28 The Impact of AI on Breaking Changes
47:27 Exciting Personal and Professional Changes
48:52 Where to Find David Fowler