Welcome to Understanding the Role of a Software Developer. After watching this video, you will be able to: Summarize the role and tasks of software developers Identify some of the main skills a software developer needs And describe some possible career paths for software developers. First, let’s look at what a software developer does. Software developers design and create computer applications that allow users to perform specific tasks and fill their needs. They also create the systems that run devices so that the applications can work, as well as the software that runs networks, including both local networks and very large networks like cloud services. In more detail, tasks and duties of software developers include the following: Analyzing users’ needs and then planning and creating software that will meet those needs Designing each piece of an application or system and planning how the pieces will work together Creating models and diagrams showing how the application’s code will work Modifying and improving code throughout the software review and testing process Recommending software upgrades for customers’ existing programs and systems And documenting every aspect of an application or system as a reference for future maintenance and upgrades. Software developers work closely with other professionals on a development team. Roles may overlap and combine to provide different opportunities, so it’s useful to take a quick look at the whole team. As you’ve seen, software developers plan and create software, both for applications and systems. They solve technical problems and estimate the time it will take to create the code. User experience (or UX) and user interface (or UI) designers plan and create the appearance of the software and how the user will interact with it. They are responsible for making software intuitive and easy to use, including addressing important accessibility concerns. The quality assurance (or QA) and test engineers try out new software to make sure it works as expected. They work on finding all the weaknesses or mistakes so that they can be eliminated before the software is released. The project manager coordinates the team and tracks the timeline, making sure the team is meeting goals and milestones. They also make sure everyone has necessary resources and tries to resolve roadblocks that arise. The team usually contains others as well. Some other important team members include business analysts who translate business needs into software requirements, the product owner who keeps the big-picture vision for the software in mind, and the documentation team who writes the help files and other software documentation. A good foundation for a career in software development is a bachelor’s degree in computer and information technology, naturally. A focus in development is a good choice, although some students decide to pursue specializations like engineering or machine learning, or a related field like mathematics. Many employers prefer candidates who have certifications in particular software tools or skills. This shows that you have focused knowledge in those areas. Many large organizations like Microsoft, Oracle, Cloudera, and IBM offer classes that can help you earn certifications. Considering an advanced degree can be a good career move. Many employers prefer developers with more education, and it lays the groundwork for advancement. Domain-specific knowledge and skills in the field you want to enter are also helpful. For example, if you are interested in medical fields, some knowledge of research methods, biology, and so on will make you a stronger candidate. While you’re in school, consider working at an internship. The experience you gain will be valuable in your job search later. Which tools are in high demand for software developers? To a large extent, this depends on the company or field you want to work in. However, someone entering the field might want to develop these skills that are broadly sought after: Languages, particularly JavaScript, Java, Python, C#, and C++ Cloud computing skills such as Amazon Web Services (or AWS), Google Cloud Platform (or GCP), and Microsoft Azure Using containers with tools like Docker and Kubernetes And an integrated development environment like Eclipse or Jupyter Notebook. In addition to technical skills, software developers need an array of important soft skills: Communication and presentation skills, so that they can effectively convey the plans for software Critical thinking skills, so that they can analyze and solve problems that arise Creative thinking skills to develop innovative ways to approach meeting business and user needs The ability to explain ideas by using a story that the company can understand and apply to their goals A collaborative approach, because they will always be working with data professionals to create and release software And diligence and tenacity to stick with projects and see them through when they become complex or something unexpected happens. From the beginning or as you gain experience, you may advance your career in several different directions. Depending on your goals and interests, you may progress into becoming a specialist in some aspect of software development such as artificial intelligence, advancing your technical skills to become a high-level software architect, becoming a manager for a development team or IT department, or going into business as a consultant, to name only a few options. Let’s take a closer look. Sometimes a career path takes you deeper into the specialized knowledge of a specific discipline, such as: artificial intelligence cloud computing systems And game development If you have a love or aptitude for one of these areas, it can be a great idea to dive into it and become the go-to professional in that discipline. You may choose to progress into a senior role, building your toolkit as time goes by. This might be pursuing a career as a software architect, for example. This role is involved in higher-level decisions about development at a company, such as selecting the right platforms or tools that teams will use for development. This requires: Extensive knowledge of code and many tools, languages, and other aspects of development Broad understanding of how all parts of the environment fit together And an exceptional ability to communicate with stakeholders as well as development teams. Rather than diving deeper as a specialist, the senior developer works to broaden and grow many skills. If you are interested in business, you may advance into a management position. This requires business aptitude and people skills as well as programming skills. Software development managers may work at the project level or manage a development department in a company. If this is your goal, you may want to: Focus on developing leadership and other people skills Acquire project management skills And consider acquiring a graduate degree or certifications in project management. Management isn’t for everyone, but it may a good fit for you if you like the required mix of skills and work. If you become a consultant, you can choose exactly what type of development expertise you want to focus on. Since you are likely to work independently, you may have some freedom about the situations you choose to work in. Consultants may want to: Develop experience working in the software development aspects of specific industries Acquire knowledge of policies and regulations that affect development, such as non-disclosure policies, terms of employment, and ownership of creative work And understand the basics of running your own business. Consultancy can be a great path if you want to design your own career, with all the freedom and risk that may entail. In this video, you learned that: Software developers work on teams to design and create software and systems for computers. A career in software development requires specialized knowledge and technical skills And there are several possible career paths that software developers can follow as they progress. Software development is one of the fastest-growing professions in the world today, so if you set your sights on entering the field, the sky’s the limit for how far you can go.
