Saturday 16 June 2012

The Roles Of Software Engineers

By Tom Doerr


Software engineers are experts that specialize in the design and development of software applications. They have training in the fields of computer science and mathematics. They use their skills from these areas to create and maintain software applications that run computers.

These applications are used in very many areas ranging from small business to large corporations. They include network control systems, business applications, middleware and computer games among others. To be able to discharge their duties more effectively the engineers also need to be knowledgeable in computer hardware.

To develop an application, they first have to identify and analyze the needs of the end user. Each application is to meet the specific need. The process starts with writing down of sets of instructions known as algorithms. They then use diagrams, flow charts and other aids to assess the effectiveness of these applications. The final step is to convert the algorithms into a computer language.

These experts may choose to subspecialize in one of two areas: applications software engineering or systems software engineering. The first group is more concerned about the end user. They assesses whether or not the designed application has met the needs of the end user. They look at both the efficiency and effectiveness of the application from the perspective of the user. They are also involved in the maintenance of the applications.

Systems engineers are the other group. These construct, maintain and expend computer systems in an organization. They ensure that there is coordination between different departments. This may include registration processes, billing, record keeping and retrieval and so on. They identify shortcomings in the systems and make appropriate improvements. They are also responsible for creating data security and assurance systems.

For a long time, software engineers have often been confused with another group of experts known as computer programmers. The difference is that the former are mainly involved in the designing applications while the latter convert the design to computer language. Programming languages used include C++, Python, C and Java. They also are involved in the expansion, update, repair and modification of existing programs.




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