Core software engineering competencies

The elicitation, analysis, specification and validation of requirements and constraints to a level that enables effective development and operations of new or changed software, systems, processes, products and services. The management of requirements throughout the whole of the delivery and operational life cycle of the software, system, processes, products or services. The negotiation of trade-offs that are both acceptable to key stakeholders and within budgetary, technical, regulatory, and other constraints. The adoption and adaptation of requirements management lifecycle models based on the context of the work and selecting appropriately from plan-driven/predictive approaches or more adaptive (iterative and agile) approaches.

The design of systems to meet specified requirements, compatible with agreed systems architectures, adhering to corporate standards and within constraints of performance and feasibility. The identification of concepts and their translation into a design which forms the basis for systems construction and verification. The design or selection of components. The development of a complete set of detailed models, properties, and/or characteristics described in a form suitable for implementation. The adoption and adaptation of systems design lifecycle models based on the context of the work and selecting appropriately from predictive (plan-driven) approaches or adaptive (iterative/agile) approaches.

The specification and design of software to meet defined requirements by following agreed design standards and principles. The definition of software, components, interfaces and related characteristics. The identification of concepts and patterns and the translation into a design which provides a basis for software construction and verification. The evaluation of alternative solutions and trade-offs. The facilitation of design decisions within the constraints of systems designs, design standards, quality, feasibility, extensibility and maintainability. The development and iteration of prototypes/simulations to enable informed decision-making. The adoption and adaptation of software design models, tools and techniques based on the context of the work and selecting appropriately from predictive (plan-driven) approaches or adaptive (iterative/agile) approaches.

The planning, designing, creation, amending, verification, testing and documentation of new and amended software components in order to deliver agreed value to stakeholders. The identification, creation and application of agreed software development and security standards and processes. Adopting and adapting software development lifecycle models based on the context of the work and selecting appropriately from predictive (plan-driven) approaches or adaptive (iterative/agile) approaches.

The architecture, design and development of reliable real time software, operating systems, tools and embedded systems. Embedding computer systems with a dedicated function within a larger mechanical or electronic system, often with real-time, safety, security, and reliability constraints. Typically includes interfacing with hardware, mechanical sensors and actuators for monitoring and control in applications such as industrial, automotive, aerospace and medical machinery, robots and equipment including IoT (Internet of Things) devices.

The definition, tailoring, implementation, assessment, measurement, automation and improvement of methods and tools to support planning, development, testing, operation, management and maintenance of systems. Ensuring methods and tools are adopted and used effectively throughout the organisation.

The planning, management, control and governance of organisational, project and service assets and artefacts. The identification, classification and specification of configuration items (CIs) and their inter-relationships. Identifying the configuration and version of source code, software, systems, documents and service dependent CIs at distinct points in time. Systematically controlling changes to the configuration and maintaining the integrity and traceability of the configuration throughout the project, system and/or service life cycle. Identifying and documenting the functional and physical characteristics of CIs, controlling changes to those characteristics, recording and reporting change processing and implementation status. Verifying and auditing CIs for data quality and compliance with specified internal and external requirements.

The planning, design, management, execution and reporting of tests, using appropriate testing tools and techniques and conforming to agreed process standards and industry specific regulations. The purpose of testing is to ensure that new and amended systems, configurations, packages, or services, together with any interfaces, perform as specified (including security requirements) , and that the risks associated with deployment are adequately understood and documented. Testing includes the process of engineering, using and maintaining testware (test cases, test scripts, test reports, test plans, etc) to measure and improve the quality of the software being tested.

The planning, implementation and control of activities to integrate/build components, subsystems and interfaces to create operational systems, products or services for delivery to customers, or for internal or interim purposes such as testing. The development of organisational capabilities for systems integration and build including automation and continuous integration.

The management of the processes, systems and functions to package, build, test and deploy changes and updates (which are bounded as “releases”) into a live environment, establishing or continuing the specified service, to enable controlled and effective handover to operational management and the user community. The application of automation to improve the efficiency and quality of releases.

The process of ensuring, through independent assessment and review, that appropriate working practices, quality control activities, organisational processes and quality standards are in place and adhered to and that best practices are promoted throughout the organisation. Quality assurance provides confidence to internal management and external bodies, such as customers or regulators, that quality requirements will be fulfilled. Quality assurance may relate to any area where quality standards are applied, including products, data, services and business processes.

The development and operation of a measurement capability to support agreed organisational information needs. The planning, implementation, and control of activities to measure attributes of processes, products, and services in order to assess performance, progress, and provide indications and insights to actual or potential problems, issues, and risks. The identification of requirements, selecting measures and measurement scales, establishing data collection and analysis methods, setting target values and thresholds. Measurement can be applied to organizations, projects, processes, and work products.

The application of appropriate methods to assure safety during all lifecycle phases of safety-related systems developments, including maintenance and re-use. These include safety hazard and risk analysis, safety requirements specification, safety-related system architectural design, formal method design, safety validation and verification, and safety case preparation.

The provision of application maintenance and support services, either directly to users of the systems or to service delivery functions. Support typically includes investigation and resolution of issues and may also include performance monitoring. Issues may be resolved by providing advice or training to users, by devising corrections (permanent or temporary) for faults, making general or site-specific modifications, updating documentation, manipulating data, or defining enhancements Support often involves close collaboration with the system's developers and/or with colleagues specialising in different areas, such as Database administration or Network support.