The global skills and competency framework for the digital world

#17 PORT - Improvements to address needs of Software Engineering change request accepted

Some changes in emphasis and wording across the Skill description and skill level descriptions to ensure Software Engineering is addressed.

Areas to review:

  1. Avoid confusion with configurable applications, or Configuration management skill (CFMG).
  2. Do we need to include anything wrt containerisation / microservices
  3. Could this be combined with SFIA Systems installation / decommissioning (HSIN) or System software (SYSP) skills

Background

This change request is one of a number which are proposing revisions to SFIA to ensure it fully supports Software Engineering while retaining overall industry wide applicability and integrity.

The updates will support:

  • The Software Engineering & Technology industry, it's employers and professionals to close skill gaps, attract and retain talent and improve the performance and productivity of engineers
  • Alignment of Software Engineering training / accreditation
  • Professional development through the IEEE-CS and other professional bodies representing software engineers
  • Universities, technical institutes, and other higher education organisations to support professional education and accreditation and enhance the employability of their students

Skill requirements for Software Engineering have been cross checked against the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge Chapter 6: Software Configuration Management (SWEBOK).

Also need to consider the relationship (e.g. unique skills and overlapping skills) between Software Engineering and IT.

Proposed change applies to Software configuration

Current status of this request: accepted

What we decided

See change request #1437 Refresh of Porting/Software Configuration (PORT) — English (sfia-online.org)

What we changed

See change request #1437 Refresh of Porting/Software Configuration (PORT) — English (sfia-online.org)

Carol Long
Mar 08, 2021 06:01 PM

PORT is a development skillset akin to translation, taking one CI (or a set of CIs) and converting to an equivalent (e.g. originally PC COBOL to Unix C, now more likely iOS native app is redeveloped for Android toolset, or Java function rewritten in C, or a web interface for Salesforce workflow updated to interact another backend CRM).

Containerisation or rewriting a legacy CI into microservices are simply examples of PORT, but it may be useful if someone with some expertise in these areas look at the activities and comment on more recent practices.

SFIA Systems installation / decommissioning (HSIN) System software / (SYSP) skills are implementation, while they might cover containerised applications moving between ops sys, PORT is a development skillset intended for larger scope changes.

CFMG is more like being a librarian (than a translator) noting the status and language does not change the CI. The two are not analogous. So SWEBOK Chapter 6 may not be the appropriate part for PORT. It is more likely to be a Chapter 5 Maintenance with a broad scope to cover the whole CI (or set of CIs). Chapter 5 is where "migrate legacy software" is mentioned, and this is certainly part of PORT.

Comparing https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxPnnaZQGOASMU5Nc0JUYlBlSm8/view Software Engineering and IT, PORT is firmly in the lower (SWE) part of the boxes, probably running down the center of the chart.