A to Z Software Development Roles

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Software Development Roles: Skill Attributes Visualisation

This 3D scatter plot visualises various software development roles based on three key skill attributes:

  • Project Timeline (x-axis): Representing the spectrum from project start to project end.
  • Focus Orientation (y-axis): Spanning from people focused to technology focused roles.
  • Thinking Style (z-axis): Differentiating between operational thinking and strategic thinking.

Each marker represents a distinct role, with its position indicating the relative emphasis on each of these attributes. Use the chart to explore how different roles balance these skills. How one person in a 3D space could assume another role nearby in the space.

Click the "Reset Chart View" button to reset the chart to its default view.

Click the "Set Y and X Front View" button to set the chart to see Y on the left and X on the bottom.

Click the "Set Y and Z Front View" button to set the chart to see Y on the left and Z on the bottom.

Interacting with the 3D Scatter Plot:

Zoom:

  • Mouse Scroll: Scroll the mouse wheel up and down to zoom in and out.

Rotate:

  • Click and Drag: Click and drag on the plot to rotate it in any direction.
  • Right Click and Drag: Right-click and drag on the plot to pan it left, right, up, or down.

Reset Chart View:

  • Reset Button: Click the "Reset Chart View" button below the plot to reset the view to its default position (Y axis left, X axis bottom, and Z axis depth).

Explore:

  • Hover: Hover over a data point to see additional information about the role it represents.

"U" for UX and UI Designer. Software Development Roles: A to Z

As a UX and UI Designer, you are responsible for creating and implementing user-centred experiences (UX) and visual user interfaces (UI) that align with the organisation's branding guidelines and user requirements. This role involves understanding user needs, conducting usability testing, and iterating on designs to ensure software products are user-friendly and meet aesthetic goals.

Personal Story: A key lesson in user experience design: always develop and test on the devices your customers will use. In the early 2000s, I was involved in a project where a new system was designed for expensive Quad HD screens (2560x1440 pixels). However, our development team only had Full HD screens (1920x1080 pixels) for development and testing. A Quad HD screen has approximately 77% more pixels than a Full HD screen. When we first trialled the software with a customer on a Quad HD screen, we quickly realised that the “Save” button at the bottom right was far from the “Confirm” button at the top left. The customer found this inconvenient, though they noted that the “Save” button did work. The issue was simply that the mouse had to travel much further to reach the “Save” button. We resolved this by moving the button and ensuring our development team had access to Quad HD screens for future projects. Fact: Interesting UX Fact: The field of UX design emerged in the late 20th century with the rise of human-computer interaction research and the recognition of the importance of user-centred design in creating successful software products.


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