Software Applications Development

The individual needs to know and understand:

• The principles and practices that enable productive teamwork
• The principles and behaviour of systems
• The aspects of systems that contribute to sustainable products, strategies, and practices
• How to take initiatives and be enterprising in order to identify, analyze, and evaluate information from a variety of sources
• The importance of sustainability in the workplace because it can:
  • Unite staff to create a better work culture,
  • Increase employee productivity
  • Lessen work-related illnesses
  • Improve the health of the planet, and
  • Earn customers’ trust.

The individual shall be able to:

• Plan each day’s production schedule according to available time and take into account time limitations and deadlines
• Apply research techniques and skills to keep up-to-date with the latest industry guidelines
• Review own performance against the expectations and needs of clients and organizations
• Work within the sustainability guidelines expected by the clients and organizations.

The individual needs to know and understand:

• The importance of listening skills
• The necessity of using discretion and confidentiality when dealing with clients
• The importance of resolving misunderstandings and conflicting demands
• The importance of establishing and maintaining customer confidence and productive working relationships
• The value of written and oral communication skills
• The importance of thoroughly documenting developed solutions.

The individual shall be able to:

• Use literacy skills to:
  • Follow documented instructions from supplied guides
  • Interpret workplace instructions and other technical documents
  • Interpret and understand systems specification documents
  • Keep up-to-date with latest industry guidelines
• Use oral communication skills to:
  • Discuss and offer suggestions regarding system specifications
  • Keep clients updated regarding systems’ progress
  • Negotiate with clients regarding project budgets and timelines
  • Gather and confirm clients’ requirements
  • Present proposed and final software solutions
• Use written communications skills to:
  • Document and demonstrate solutions by developing documentation, flowcharts, layouts, diagrams, charts, code comments and clear code.
  • Keep clients updated regarding systems’ progress
  • Confirm that created applications meet original specifications and obtain user sign-off for completed systems
• Use team communication skills to:
  • Collaborate with others to develop required outcomes
  • Contribute to group problem solving
• Use project management skills to:
  • Prioritize and schedule tasks
  • Allocate resources to tasks.

The individual needs to know and understand:

• The common types of problem which may occur within software development
• The common types of problem which may occur within a business organization
• Diagnostic approaches to problem solving
• Trends and developments in the industry including new platforms, languages, conventions, and technical skills.

The individual shall be able to:

• Use analytical skills to:
  • Synthesize complex or diverse information
  • Determine the functional and non-functional requirements of specifications
• Use investigation and learning skills to:
  • Obtain user requirements (e.g. interviews, questionnaire, document search and analysis, joint application design, and observation)
  • Research encountered problems independently
• Use problem-solving skills to:
  • Identify and resolve problems in a timely manner
  • Gather and analyze information skilfully
  • Develop alternatives for decision making, select the most appropriate alternatives and produce the required solutions
  • Develop business logic and computational algorithms for specific tasks.

The individual needs to know and understand:

• The importance of considering all possible options and deriving the best solution based on sound analytical judgment and clients’ best interests
• The importance of using system analysis and design methodologies (e.g. Unified Modelling Language, Model-View-Control (MVC) software framework, Design Patterns, C4 Model)
• The need to be up to date with new technologies and able to make judgements about the appropriateness of adopting them
• The importance of optimizing systems design with an emphasis on modularity and reusability
• The importance of the full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations.

The individual shall be able to:

• Analyze systems using:
  • Use Case modelling and analysis (e.g. Use Case Diagram, Use Case Description, Actor Description, Use Case Package)
  • Structural modelling and analysis (e.g. Object, Class, Domain Class Diagram)
  • Dynamic modelling and analysis (e.g. Sequence Diagram, Collaboration Diagram, State Diagram, Activity Diagram)
  • Data modelling tools and techniques (e.g. Entity Relationship Diagram, Normalization, Data Dictionary)
• Design systems using:
  • C4 Model: System Context – Container – Component Diagram and System Landscape Diagram
  • Wireframe for UI and UX concepts
  • Application Interface (API)
  • Relational database design
  • Human-computer interface design
  • Security and controls design.

The individual needs to know and understand:

• The importance of considering all possible options and deriving the best solutions to meet user requirements and clients’ best interests
• The importance of using system development methodologies (e.g. object-oriented technology)
• The importance of considering all normal and abnormal scenarios, and exception handlings
• The importance of following standards (e.g. code convention, style guide, user interface designs, managing directories, and files)
• The importance of accurate and consistent version control
• The use of existing codes as a basis for analysis and modifications
• The importance of selecting the most appropriate development tools from the available options.

The individual shall be able to:

• Develop software solutions by studying information needs, conferring with users, and studying systems flow, data usage, and work processes
• Use database management systems to construct, store and manage the data for the required systems
• Use latest software development environments and tools to modify existing codes and write new codes of client-server-based software solutions
• Evaluate and integrate appropriate libraries and frameworks into the software solutions
• Build multi-tier applications
• Construct Native Windows-based or Native Android-based interfaces (Using Native Development Technology or Cross-platform Technology) for client- server-based systems.

The individual needs to know and understand:

• Troubleshooting methods for common software applications problems
• The importance of thoroughly tested solutions
• The importance of documenting testing.

The individual shall be able to:

• Plan testing activities (e.g. unit testing, integration testing, acceptance testing, and volume testing)
• Design test cases with data and check results of test cases
• Implement black and white box testing.

Symas Design Gmbh