Data Science vs Software Engineering: Do You Know the Difference? – Analytics Insight

Data science Vs software engineering! A primer to dispel the confusion surrounding the dependent yet different concepts

Data Science and Software engineering has too many qualities in common there is a hell lot of confusion regarding where one end and where the other starts invoking a typical data science Vs Software engineering haze. It is an established fact that advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, IoT, Cloud, and Blockchain will be the main pivots around which the tech world will revolve and so more is the synergy and more blurred are the lines. To understand what data science Vs software engineering is all about, to their nitty-gritty, one should get to know what they have in common.

Going by the pace at which the software sector is growing, it is pretty much evident that there is an urgent need for the development of digital technology. SaaS, a sector that is playing a crucial role in delivering critical software services to companies, has become the quickest-growing sector. The growth of services like cloud computing technologies, open source, programming services, and systems services has aided to a great extent in the development of advanced technologies like machine learning, artificial intelligence, and computer vision which depend on data and data analytics. Notwithstanding the dependencies, data science and software programming share a few stark differences.

Data as commodity

Software engineers are involved in front-end or back-end development, developing operating systems, and designing software. Basically, software engineers need not use data because the software programs are supposed to be universal, ie., work for every kind of data. Of late, with the evolution of customization, software programmers are taking to Data Driven Development (DDD). It essentially involves developing software or software products for a certain set of data. On the other hand, Data scientists work on predictive models and develop machine-learning capabilities based on the data generated by those models. For example, a software engineer may develop an order entry system tool that the company may use for the coming 20 years, and the data science engineer will analyze the correlation between geographical distribution and sales and the changes therein from time to time.

Probabilistic Algorithms Vs Deterministic Algorithms

Software engineering is meant for creating tools and products that can generate the same result every time they run. A simple bill-calculating program will generate the exact result for four entries of $5, ie., $20 every time. On the other hand, data scientists are ‘programmed’ for predicting rather than deliver run-of-the-mill outputs. Data science, to a large extent, depends on maths and stats and hence the predictive nature of their decisions. That means they cannot certainly tell that you will buy a hockey stick but can predict it with 99% accuracy.

Diverse Tools

Data Scientists and software engineers though at times, work in similar areas, and use different tools. Software engineers are nowadays working with SQL databases and programming languages like Java, JavaScript, and Python. While Data scientists also use SQL databases and Hadoop data stores, they need to work in Excel more frequently and use statistical software such as SAS and R. Python is the most used programming language, for it comes with preprogrammed libraries such as NumPy, Pandas, etc. Jupyter is another interesting tool that Data Scientists depend on. It is one of the kind tool that allows Data Scientists to write code, modify it, check for results as they go and document it, and continue programming till the end of the process, thereby making it possible to understand how a particular result was reached.

Degree of Autonomy

Software engineers may have to manage a large group for the very reason that code development is a collective task. Data scientists though might have to supervise a smaller team, oftentimes can work alone, and hence have a greater degree of autonomy. However, it depends on the company’s size and requirements. Compared to software engineers, Data Scientists have fewer people under their wing but when it comes to reporting they report to more members of authority than software engineers.

Software engineering salaries top $1m in Silicon Valley – IT PRO

Principal engineers in California can expect to earn more than $1 million per year, a new study on pay rates within the tech sector has revealed.

According to the data, principal software engineers at Facebook’s HQ in Menlo Park, California can expect to earn over $1 million once salary, stock, and bonuses are taken into account, while other positions in San Francisco at Stripe and Airbnb are worth $900,000 and $800,000 respectively. 

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The majority of all high-paying roles in the results were based in California, with a few notable exceptions. Staff engineers at Coinbase earned $673,000 on a remote-first contract, while high-salary engineer roles also came from a range of cities including Bozeman and Beijing.

Overall, California topped the list compiled by salary aggregation website Levels.fyi, with median pay for tech workers in the San Francisco Bay Area at $234,000.

In comparison, the median pay for tech workers in London is just $116,000 – a figure well below the top ten rates in America, but second overall in Europe after Zurich, where median pay has reached $178,000. 

Further east, median pay was even lower, with Israel topping the list at $159,000, and the median for Bengaluru in India at just $37,000.

Jobs requiring higher levels of experience and education paid more. The highest compensation listed for staff engineers, who typically have more than ten years of experience, was $688,000 (at Stripe) in comparison with $443,000 (at Databricks) for engineers who only require a few years’ experience.

However, even graduate jobs in the industry were shown to carry potential for high compensation. The results showed that entry-level engineers received $274,000 at Two Sigma, a hedge fund in New York City that uses artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and data analytics to inform its investment decisions. However, all other firms in Levels.fyi’s top results for this job title are based in California.

The report also revealed the changing landscape of high-paying jobs in the tech industry. In Levels.fyi’s 2021 results, the highest-paying jobs in engineering were dominated by companies such as Roblox, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft. 

Of these firms, only Facebook and Apple have remained in the top results for 2022, with Stripe, Airbnb, Netflix, Twitter and Snap Inc. now representing the top pay offers in the sector.

Outside of the titles the company has formerly ranked, this year’s results also took into account emerging titles that carry high levels of compensation. These included positions such as software engineering manager (up to $910,000), product designer (up to $400,000) and hardware engineer (up to $376,000).

Pay and job security within the tech sector have become increasingly uncertain as countries face recession, and issues such as the energy crisis have led to reassessment of spending. In November 2022, Meta cut 11,000 employees citing inaccurate investment predictions, and Microsoft has reportedly slowed its hiring.

Cuts have not been contained to workers with the least experience. Following its acquisition by Elon Musk, Twitter fired 3,700 workers from throughout the company including executives and entire teams such as engineers working on new features for the social media platform.

Despite these trends, Levels.fyi stated that “compensation has still generally increased relative to last year at the topmost companies and levels”. The data shows that depending on region, workers can expect high levels of compensation, and that opportunities continue to grow for those seeking roles that are growing in demand.

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Guide To Next: Trends Shaping Software Engineering In 2023 And … – BW Businessworld

Npressfetimg 6379.png

Technology is a vital “muscle” for companies to thrive and create value amidst constant disruptions. It bears reflecting on what this means from an engineering standpoint for key industries as we move forward. In 2020, businesses rushed to transform their businesses digitally. With necessary infrastructure in place, it’s now time for businesses to level up and focus on how they can gain ROI from their digital investments. It’s not going to be a fundamental change, rather incremental changes that will enable businesses to gain ground on competition. 

Based on my observations in the technology world, I foresee the following four trends impacting various industries: 

Digital commerce will become a lot more fun

According to research by eMarketer and Statista, Ecommerce will make up 22 per cent of global retail sales by 2023. It’s a great opportunity for this sector provided they reduce losses due to excess cost of free shipping, order preparation and last-mile delivery. 

The biggest cost contributor to any e-commerce P&L is fulfilment. Typically, replenishment models focused on historical sales, preventing retail supply chains from responding with speed when crisis hit. Mastering inventory and forecasting with data and AI can enable retailers to gain back 20 per cent on total cost of order. Newer models can capture a broader set of inputs and use machine learning to sense demand earlier, while enabling creative ways to meet customer needs. Digital IT costs is another area where there is opportunity to gain 30 per cent cost savings. It’s important to review IT operations with a profitability lens and ensure customers gain tangible benefits and higher returns from their investments. 

Additionally, using AI and ML will allow retailers to identify items experiencing a high rate of returns and why – for a perspective, it can take up to 30 days before returned products make their way back to inventory. We know that sizing issues are the largest contributor to apparel returns. By cross referencing returned and non-returned items, retailers can make adjustments, such as improving product description, adding a sizing guide or upgrading the imagery. 

Optimising and building resilience in supply chains

As we approach 2023, leaders must invest in continuing to make supply chains dynamic, flexible and responsive. Accomplishing this goal will require businesses to drive transformation across the following areas – 

A single sourcing supply chain strategy no longer works: We foresee see a shift where no one wants to risk all their eggs in one basket with a single source model. A multi sourcing strategy will enable businesses to be more dynamic, combat greater complexity and prepare for rapid demand shifts.   

Demand planning and forecasting: Improving accuracy in demand planning, will continue to be a focus moving forward. Be it special days, dynamic pricing, or gaining locational intelligence, data-enabled tools and technologies can provide insights at a granular level to formulate decisions. In fact, one of our clients reduced forecasting processing time from days to hours, by leveraging data through our platform-driven forecasting solutions.  

Multi-channel fulfillment: Ensuring the goods reach their destination has gotten more complicated over time. For a perspective, leading US retailers are now considering setting up warehouses in the east coast in addition to the west coast, to protect themselves against costs of future delays. This is just one instance of how large businesses with global …….

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Guide To Next: Trends Shaping Software Engineering In 2023 And … – BW Businessworld

Technology is a vital “muscle” for companies to thrive and create value amidst constant disruptions. It bears reflecting on what this means from an engineering standpoint for key industries as we move forward. In 2020, businesses rushed to transform their businesses digitally. With necessary infrastructure in place, it’s now time for businesses to level up and focus on how they can gain ROI from their digital investments. It’s not going to be a fundamental change, rather incremental changes that will enable businesses to gain ground on competition. 

Based on my observations in the technology world, I foresee the following four trends impacting various industries: 

Digital commerce will become a lot more fun

According to research by eMarketer and Statista, Ecommerce will make up 22 per cent of global retail sales by 2023. It’s a great opportunity for this sector provided they reduce losses due to excess cost of free shipping, order preparation and last-mile delivery. 

The biggest cost contributor to any e-commerce P&L is fulfilment. Typically, replenishment models focused on historical sales, preventing retail supply chains from responding with speed when crisis hit. Mastering inventory and forecasting with data and AI can enable retailers to gain back 20 per cent on total cost of order. Newer models can capture a broader set of inputs and use machine learning to sense demand earlier, while enabling creative ways to meet customer needs. Digital IT costs is another area where there is opportunity to gain 30 per cent cost savings. It’s important to review IT operations with a profitability lens and ensure customers gain tangible benefits and higher returns from their investments. 

Additionally, using AI and ML will allow retailers to identify items experiencing a high rate of returns and why – for a perspective, it can take up to 30 days before returned products make their way back to inventory. We know that sizing issues are the largest contributor to apparel returns. By cross referencing returned and non-returned items, retailers can make adjustments, such as improving product description, adding a sizing guide or upgrading the imagery. 

Optimising and building resilience in supply chains

As we approach 2023, leaders must invest in continuing to make supply chains dynamic, flexible and responsive. Accomplishing this goal will require businesses to drive transformation across the following areas – 

A single sourcing supply chain strategy no longer works: We foresee see a shift where no one wants to risk all their eggs in one basket with a single source model. A multi sourcing strategy will enable businesses to be more dynamic, combat greater complexity and prepare for rapid demand shifts.   

Demand planning and forecasting: Improving accuracy in demand planning, will continue to be a focus moving forward. Be it special days, dynamic pricing, or gaining locational intelligence, data-enabled tools and technologies can provide insights at a granular level to formulate decisions. In fact, one of our clients reduced forecasting processing time from days to hours, by leveraging data through our platform-driven forecasting solutions.  

Multi-channel fulfillment: Ensuring the goods reach their destination has gotten more complicated over time. For a perspective, leading US retailers are now considering setting up warehouses in the east coast in addition to the west coast, to protect themselves against costs of future delays. This is just one instance of how large businesses with global operations are trying to simplify the logistics process. 

In each of the areas outlined above, there is a common pattern – the underlying processes and systems need to be dynamic and most importantly, the need to gain an integrated view across the supply chain. Most systems currently in use lack the elasticity necessary to support these strategies. Few have visibility beyond direct suppliers, traditional routes and even ports. This is where, an asynchronous and event based microservices architecture will be a game changer. Timely visibility across the supply chain will allow businesses to optimize and make their supply chains more dynamic and resilient. 

5G to up the game for businesses more than consumers 

5G has potential to spark the next industrial revolution of wireless connectivity with wire-like stability and transform the world as we know. While it can enable downloading an HD movie from a crowded location in seconds, its advantages for B2B and B2C businesses will far exceed than just enabling speed. 5G is really about connecting everything, everywhere, all at once, with reliability and minus the lag. What this will enable is the ability to measure, understand and manage things in real time in a way that is unimaginable in the current landscape. 

5G will allow you to receive high fidelity data in large volumes in real time, which will present a number of opportunities. To put things in perspective, Ericsson conducted an exercise on 5G by using a dummy patient to demonstrate how a surgeon could use a VR headset and special glove to control a robot arm that would perform an actual operation in another location. For AR/VR to truly take shape, a lot will depend on how data that can be transmitted and processed in real time – something that 5G has potential to disrupt. 

The automotive industry is another area that is set to be transformed by 5G. More vehicles will be able to connect to the internet at once – thanks to the greater capacity and decreased latency of 5G networks, resulting in smarter transportation systems with less congestion and higher levels of safety.

Seizing the energy sustainability movement 

The recent power crises gripping Europe is a stark reminder of the impact of climate change, inflation and geopolitical tension. At a high level, overcoming the crises will call for a transformation in the way power is generated, distributed, consumed and stored at the edge of the grid – especially in large industrial complexes. 

Consider the following scenarios – power generation is dynamic, and so is the demand. In times of high summers and winters, the consumption goes up. At the same time, in large industrial complexes, not all sections are operating at all times. But there is little opportunity to conserve this power unless it’s shut down manually. Clearly, there is a certain dynamic element missing in power management. 

The need of the hour is to bring in more agility and intelligence across the entire ecosystem of power generation, distribution, and consumption. From a technology perspective this translates to flexible and interoperable systems with enhanced computerisation, secure connectivity and power storage.

Capturing necessary data from all sources will also be crucial in gaining a single view of information across all grid operations. Using advanced data and analytics on this data will enable users to bring in accuracy in the way they forecast availability and demand, which will further allow them to manage planned and unplanned outages, weather variations, avoid wastage and most importantly, reduce their carbon footprint over time.

There will undoubtedly be winners and losers in the months ahead, but those that thrive will do so by striking the right balance between short-term business goals and long-term innovation. For all the magic and excitement of emerging technologies, businesses must remember to focus on end consumers and understand opportunities to make a positive difference in their lives, and at the same time be conscious of their responsibilities to the planet and to the society in which we live. 

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are those of the authors’ and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of this publishing house. Unless otherwise noted, the author is writing in his/her personal capacity. They are not intended and should not be thought to represent official ideas, attitudes, or policies of any agency or institution.


Low-Code Software Engineering: 7 Things to Know – hackernoon.com

The debate about low-code is in full swing with developers from all backgrounds weighing in. What’s your take? Does low-code mean more or less spaghetti code? Here’s the low-code low-down:

  • Low-code / no-code is the future of software engineering.
    True. But: it’s a part of software engineering’s ongoing simplification through a variety of productivity-enhancing inventions.

  • No-code and low-code are the same.
    False: no-code is for non-coders. Low-code is for software engineers.

  • I am a developer, no-code isn’t for me.

    True: professional developers are likely to get frustrated with the loss of control in a pure no-code tool. Well-designed low-code tools that make software engineering more efficient are the right tools for experienced developers.

  • Low-code / no-code tools will make developers redundant.
    False. They are productivity-enhancing tools, but not substitutes for humans writing code.

  • It doesn’t matter which no-code / low-code tool to learn first.
    False. Use three questions to create a shortlist of platforms (check out my earlier article on this topic to find out what these three questions are).

  • With low-code, I will eventually hit a brick wall for complex use cases.
    False, provided you pick the right platform for the right use case. Selecting the right tool before starting to develop will save you a lot of time down the road.

  • Individual skill determines software engineering teams’ productivity.
    True and false. Of course, individual skill makes a big difference in outcomes. But when you treat software engineering like an engineering process, increased productivity can also result from better dev tools. Low-code, for example, can accelerate app delivery by up to 10x, according to Forrester.

  • To learn more about each one of the seven points above, check out my other posts on Hackernoon!

    Are Software Engineering Jobs Difficult to Find? – LA Progressive

    Software engineering jobs are becoming increasingly desirable as the world becomes more reliant on technology. As of 2021, there were 4.3 million software engineers in the US, which has continued to grow. But just how difficult is it to find work in this field?

    In this blog post, we’ll look at the factors that impact your employment prospects in software engineering and provide tips for finding and securing a job. Here’s what you need to know to work in software engineering.

    The Employment Landscape

    The good news is that software engineering jobs have seen an uptick recently. Many experts predict a continued rise in employment opportunities over the next few years. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the software development industry is projected to grow by 25% from 2021 to 2031.

    That is much faster than the average for all other occupations, with a growth rate of around 4%. Moreover, many of these jobs offer high salaries and excellent benefits packages.

    While there may be plenty of jobs, competition can still be fierce regarding landing one. With many qualified candidates trying for such limited positions, employers can often be incredibly selective when hiring.

    That means you must ensure your resume is up-to-date. That includes having the relevant skills and experience and any certifications or training you may have received.

    It also helps if you have a strong network of contacts or professional references from past employers or colleagues who can attest to your qualifications and capabilities. For example, having a Linkedin page that can display certifications, job experience, and educational information is a good place to start.

    What Skills Should You Have?

    There are a few skills you should have as a software engineer. This means that you should strongly understand programming languages like Java and C++. It couldn’t hurt to have experience in Python and JavaScript as well.

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    Familiarity with development tools, such as AngularJS and Node.js, can go a long way when you are up against other candidates. It also helps to be knowledgeable about cloud computing technologies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

    Finally, having experience in working with databases such as Oracle or MySQL can give you an edge over other applicants who don’t possess these skills. If you believe your current skills are lacking in any way, using resources such as advisedskills.com can help you get where you need to be.

    Location Matters

    Landing a job in software engineering is possible, but it is essential to remember that location plays an important role. When looking for software engineering jobs, tech hubs can be ideal.

    These cities will have networking opportunities and resources. Also, some cities offer higher salaries and better benefits. This is because of the competitive nature of their markets. Depending on your experience and the type of company you want to work with, moving to find work in software engineering can be a good choice.

    If you’re looking for top-tier opportunities, consider exploring job openings in cities like San Francisco (CA) and Seattle (WA). Other cities to consider include New York City (NY), Austin (TX), and Boston (MA).

    You Can Find a Software Engineering Job!

    Finding work in software engineering isn’t easy. But with enough hard work and dedication, it is possible! Having the right set of technical skills, along with a solid educational background, will help. The goal is to ensure that you get noticed by potential employers.

    Networking within your industry will ensure that your name sticks out. To give yourself the best chance, consider relocating to cities with more competitive markets.

    Remember: even if finding work initially seems complicated, it won’t always be this way — keep pushing forward, and success will follow soon enough. If you find this content valuable, visit the rest of our website today to learn more!

    Israeli Software Engineering Start-Up Creates Simulation Training ‘Quests’ – Forbes

    CARVER, Massachusetts – SEPTEMBER 03: Knights joust during âThe Challenge of Champions❠at opening … [+] day of King Richardâs Faire in Carver, Massachusetts on September 3, 2022. The renaissance faire will run weekends through October 23, 2022. The faire features performers, cosplay and interactive theatre as well as jousting shows and acrobats. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

    Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

    We learn by doing. It was either Aristotle or Sir Richard Branson (it was probably both) who said it, but we learn by doing things, working out our behavior and actions in real-life scenarios through our experience of the world and people. But times have moved on since 322 BC and today we have Artificial Intelligence (AI), virtual reality and intelligent software automation.

    Tel Aviv, Israel-headquarterd Wilco agrees with the learn-by-doing maxim, so much so that its team has established its business upon it.

    Not to be confused with the British homeware and DIY store (that’s Wilko) or the Chicago-based alternative rock band (that’s Wilco too, but with bass and drums), Wilco is designed to enable software engineers to emulate the conditions at a tech startup. The software sends users on ‘quests’ that cover everyday engineering tasks – from deploying an app to finding the root cause of a live software production issue – utilizing real-life technology stacks, but in a safe environment.

    Flight simulator software

    As a firm fond of referring to itself as a ‘flight simulator for software developers’, the Wilco team is (obviously) not referring to aeroplane video games, the reference is meant to convey the immersive reality of the software development and building experience that it offers.

    The latest offering from Wilco is called Quest Builder. This is a software tool that software application development professionals can use to build quests in which development tools are put to use to solve realistic software development challenges. This follows Wilco’s recent launch of its developer upskilling platform, offering training quests in a real-world development environment, which quickly reached thousands of monthly users.

    Reminding us that the developer startup market is booming, Wilco points to news of the $37B invested last year. As such, the skills and training market is growing alongside the developer experience and skills assessment and management market. Many companies offer products that aim to make software developers’ lives easier, so it’s challenging for any one tool to stand out.

    “Developer tools shine when they’re used in the context of a complex environment or a large-scale production application,” said On Freund, co-founder and CEO of Wilco. “Demo sandbox apps and ‘Hello world’ tutorials [the most basic programming action most developers start their life with – and now part of developer folklore] don’t properly communicate the differentiators and value that a product offers. Developers need to get hands-on and use a product to solve a problem they’re facing, in order to fully understand its value.”

    Quest Builder allows a developer of any moderate or advanced skill level to create a Wilco quest showcasing any given set of development tools. Quests can recreate a software development scenario that highlights the specific pain point the tool addresses, so developers can see first-hand a product’s particular value in a true-to-life setting. Early users of the editor include leading developer companies like CircleCI, Armory and Permit.io.

    Observability ability

    Four observability-focused [technology designed to look into system health, availability and status] quests by New Relic, a design partner, have already been completed by thousands of developers.

    “Wilco’s platform simulates the complex day-to-day reality that developers face when building software as part of a team working on a large codebase,” said Tom Trahan, VP of Business Development, CircleCI. “Developers see clearly how [a technology] can solve real-world engineering challenges, in a way that just can’t be communicated through a standard tutorial. Whether while up-skilling themselves, onboarding to a new team or during continuous on-the-job training, we’re excited for developers to engage with CircleCI within Wilco quests.”

    Thus far, organizations have created quests to achieve a variety of business objectives, including interactive tutorials that provide product education to new customers. They have also been used to create demos that let software sales prospects experience first-hand how the tool solves a real-world problem. Additionally, software development teams are using the platform to onboard new team members and to help their engineers prepare for on-call shifts by solving simulated production issues.

    “This example of technology innovation is typical of our region i.e. it comes from a startup organization and has the energy to empower other startups and more established firms alike,” said Jon Medved, CEO of OurCrowd, a Jerusalem-based global venture investment platform. “Given the global skills situation with regard to software application developers in particular, I think we can see global relevance for this product, although I also like seeing this type of product develop in its home market. With businesses in every industry vertical now looking to grasp a data-driven advantage as they embrace cloud and all front line technologies from mobile to AI and with a future view to quantum, we need to create self-serve empowerment at every level – and that’s clearly in evidence here.”

    Continuous deployment, continuous learning

    Wilco’s tools may be quite of the moment i.e. in software engineering terms, we are now in the age of so-called continuous deployment and continuous integration (CI/CD). This continuous cadence has come about due to the always-on nature of web-based cloud-centric applications that users interact with 24×7 on their desktop and mobile devices i.e. if the app is on all the time, then updates and enhancements need to happen continuously.

    In parallel then, this product proposition from Wilco is not dry classroom learning by rote, this is hands-on continuous learning that anyone (apart from juniors and beginners) can drive.

    What’s the best way to learn then? Well, as that well-known sports apparel company would say, Just Code It.

    Future-proof your career with a job in software engineering – News24

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    Planning for a future can be intimidating for your child, especially when they have just matriculated. But it’s not a decision they can make overnight.

    In fact – there are plenty of opportunities around to help you secure your future with evergreen skills you can pick up through short courses and apprenticeship experiences.

    The world of software engineering opens a world of opportunities. Here are key reasons why software engineering skills will future-proof your career.

    Diverse roles and core digital skills

    Software Development and Data Science are careers that are still growing in traction and demand in the working world. As our world and lives become more online, professionals who can code and understand programmes will be of great use to all companies.

    Software developers and data scientists have diverse role options. They are not only able to build new digital spaces and platforms, but help to design for better user experience, called UX, and user interface, called UI.

    In some roles, they support complex IT systems, and even resolve glitches and issues within the platforms once they are up and running. They also have the potential to explore roles in data mining. This means they would be able to code and aid Artificial Intelligence (AI) interfaces to track and monitor data absorbed from platforms – this information can then help their company adapt tech for a better user experience or inform business research.

    While there are courses at universities that offer this, they can be pricey. Fortunately, there are plenty of short courses and online training courses that are offered at discount rates – and even free for some companies.

    ALX Africa, for example, is offering matriculants (or anyone interested) the opportunity to learn software engineering for free. The programme kicks off on 23 January 2023 and is set to run for 12 months, with 70 hours dedicated per week.

    Enrolment is open and closes on 11 January 2023. To enrol or find out more information – you can visit ALX Africa here.

    Game Design

    Similarly, a career on the rise is the role of digital designers and game designers. With content becoming more immersive and interactive – as well as the growing demand for VR and AR experiences – game design and digital design will be a specialised and coveted role to fill.

    Much like software developers and data scientists, digital and game designers are open to a world of opportunities within the industry, thanks to their training in software development and engineering. From actual game design to gamified news and marketing experiences – there are a plethora of roles and possibilities that fit within these titles.

    These are just some of the reasons why software engineering can help future-proof your place in the working world. You can explore course options available by doing your research online and looking for training courses, university courses, or apprenticeships that work for you.

    ALX Africa currently offers courses in tech, finance and sales. To find out more about these, you can visit their website www.alxafrica.com.

    This post was sponsored by ALX and produced by Adspace Studio.

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    Make quality a priority in your software engineering culture – TechTarget

    When an organization wants to promote a culture of quality in software development, it focuses on specific values and principles of the product and the associated processes and techniques required to achieve a desired level of quality. Team members in a quality culture are always aware of this standard and strive to meet quality goals in the ways they approach work.

    A quality-driven software engineering culture requires developers, testers, project managers, architects and even stakeholders to thoroughly understand how the organization defines quality and how to achieve it. This may take extra time, but it provides better returns than not incorporating quality in the long run.

    Who is on a software quality team?

    At a minimum, an organization’s software quality team typically consists of three roles: QA analyst, QA lead and QA manager. More quality-focused team members might be necessary as the software engineering culture changes, but they don’t have to specifically be on the software quality team. Everyone in the organization will focus on quality.

    In these organizations, every person involved with development should know and promote quality goals together:

    • Developers write the code that builds the software and work with a lead developer to tighten the code and further incorporate quality.
    • The lead software developer works with the software quality engineer and QA manager to enforce the quality standards and confirm that the product meets the requirements set forth by the team.
    • Engineers collaborate with testers to execute a test plan and ultimately return a defect-free product — or one as defect-free as possible — that meets the customer’s demands.
    • The software development manager oversees all team members and reinforces the incorporation of the organization’s standards of quality into each portion of the software development lifecycle.

    What are the main challenges in building a strong software engineering culture?

    Change can be a difficult thing to incorporate in any element of life, and software development is no different. When an organization wants to roll out a potentially massive, cultural and technical shift on how they develop software, it’s bound to create some challenges. Three of the more prominent and difficult challenges are resistance, diversity, and communication and collaboration.

    Resistance. Change is often unwelcome. Software developers can be reluctant to embrace new policies and standards. Developers focused on meeting a tight deadline can’t find extra time to learn and implement new ideas to boost quality. Nevertheless, it’s imperative that teams dedicate time to reinforce quality standards and demonstrate the positive changes to get everyone on board.

    Diversity. Development team members typically have different backgrounds, cultures and technical skill sets. Diversity is a good thing — but it also creates a learning curve. Management must clearly explain the quality culture it wants to instill in these team members and how they should adapt to these new practices.

    Communication and collaboration. Distributed teams are common in today’s workforce. Team members can be separated by different countries, time zones and even languages. When management pursues quality, it must factor in how teams will communicate and collaborate. Messaging services and digital meetings can help bond remote teams and iron out any issues that come up over the course of development.

    Build the right software quality culture

    There are several key ideas to keep in mind when building a quality software culture:

    1. Hire people who value quality in their software engineering culture and are committed to it.
    2. Prioritize quality and set realistic expectations for project deadlines.
    3. Educate the team on software quality and the importance of code reviews, automated testing, CI/CD and other elements of quality development. Ensure that source code is released only after it passes the automated tests.
    4. Embrace automation wherever feasible. Properly implemented automation can lead to better quality and productivity.
    5. Don’t leave quality to just the development team. Instill a culture that promotes quality from every position in the organization.
    6. Encourage collaboration between different teams.
    7. Regularly measure and monitor quality metrics — such as product quality, in-progress quality and maintenance quality — to help identify potential improvement areas and track project progress.

    Where Agile fits in building a quality software engineering culture

    Agile development can help teams prioritize and deliver software quality. However, Agile is not a requirement, and some broader aspects of Agile values and principles may not apply.

    There are several ways in which Agile can help create and sustain a culture of software quality. Teams can embrace quality culture by focusing on teaching and allowing suggestions instead of dictating orders and demanding changes. Customer satisfaction and loyalty are directly linked to organizations with quality cultures. When you combine Agile and DevOps methodologies, you can further streamline processes to increase efficiency of development and delivery.