Top 3 Trends and Predictions in Software Craft

Given the rapid pace of technology change, staying ahead of tech trends is hard for any tech leader, particularly in tech areas your organization has not yet deployed. The Lean into Tech: Skillsoft Signals Report captures the learning needs of 5 million users across a diverse array of company sizes, geographies, and industries. Here we'll examine 2020 tech learning trends and directional signals in the area of Software Craftsmanship to guide you and your team as you prepare for the new year.

Software Craft includes process management, architecture, platforms, methods and models, and tools to build, test, deploy, and maintain systems and services. Agile methods are a key component to successful development teams, and DevOps is helping to break down organizational barriers. Software technology is adjacent to Cloud, programming, and data technologies

In the Cloud, software development is less dependent on hardware infrastructures, which boosts automated testing and release deployment for continuous and seamless integration across platforms. Open source has become a first-choice solution. Site reliability engineering (SRE) has burgeoned to bolster building resilient, fast, and durable systems.

Legacy applications and infrastructures are more rapidly disappearing because the cost of maintaining them exceeds their value. Technology infrastructure and software are finally getting a long-overdue modernization. Innovative apps pivot as they self-correct and improve as they learn.

Agile methodology is demonstrating the virtues of simple, customer-driven, and fast solutions to software challenges. Microservices punch above their weight, rapidly delivering benefits as companies look for more agility and nimble processes. Microservices are the agile alternative to monolithic architectures.

DevOps and Systems Engineering are evolving to support smart everything, from personal speakers to TVs, appliances, thermostats, and homes. Gadgets and devices share the same requirements and engineering as innovative apps to ensure reliable and secure connectivity at the edge.

To capture the technology trends and avoid the risks from missing out, build these software craft skills on your teams:

1. Enterprise Architectures & Patterns
2. Continuous Integration & Continuous Deployment
3. Testing and Automated Testing
4. Agile and Scrum

Potential Risks of Inaction:

• Building software that is more brittle, less reflective of customer needs, typically over budget, or not on schedule will all contribute to increased exposure to competitive threats.
• Navigating unclear product goals.
• Investing too much capital in failed attempts to meet market demands.
• Loss of productivity from repeating poor development practices.
• Overcoming the lack of responsibility among team members.

Does your organization have the skilled resources to capture this directional signal? Download the complete Signals Report