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Software Engineering and the Intelligence Community – Setting Real Time Standards

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Software Engineering and the Intelligence Community – Setting Real Time Standards

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Software engineering is an essential discipline when designing and implementing high-performance data enterprises. Although software engineers are not certified or sanctioned by any standards body, software engineers with experience in the Intelligence Community increase the chances of success.

Software Engineering Defined

Software engineering is applying a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software. (Source Wikipedia)

Knowledge of programming is the main prerequisite to becoming a software engineer, but it is not sufficient. Many software engineers have degrees in Computer Science or Mathematics and physics due to the lack of software engineering programs in higher education. An organized mind and an interest in problem-solving are also prerequisites.

However, as data networks become more complex and indispensable in large organizations, higher education has started to change with new software engineering degrees, especially post-graduate education.

Software Engineering as a Discipline

Software Engineering

Software engineering contains several separate yet interrelated disciplines.

* Software Requirements

* Software design

* Software development

* Software testing

* Software maintenance

* Software configuration management

* Software engineering management, see also project management

* Software development process

* Software engineering tools and Computer-Aided Software Engineering

* Software quality

* Social Software Engineering

Each sub-discipline has its own performance requirements and processes for success.

Jobs in Software Engineering – A Strong Market

Because software engineering is broad and growing more complex because of the introduction of new technologies and applications, the potential for job growth is significant even in a down economy. According to the Federal Government studies, the demand for qualified software engineers is significant and will continue to grow; computer software engineers are projected to grow the fastest and add the newest jobs over the 2006-16 decade. Excellent job prospects are expected for applicants with at least a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering or computer science and practical work experience.

Computer software engineers must continually strive to acquire new skills in conjunction with the rapid changes in computer technology. Because computer networks and computing hardware and software are growing in power and complexity, the demand for qualified Software engineers is high. Additionally, as the United States continues to be an information-driven society, new, high-paying jobs with quality benefits packages are available in the economy.
This is particularly true as the economy emerges from its depressed state.

The employment of computer software engineers is projected to increase by 38 percent over the 2006 to 2016 period, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. As a result, this occupation will generate about 324,000 new jobs over the projections decade, one of the largest employment increases of any occupation.

Significant drivers of growth in the demand for software engineers include the adoption of new technologies for information efficiency in a competitive environment. This is particularly true as information networks grow in sophistication and interconnect.

In addition, information security concerns and cyber threats have given rise to new software requirements. Concerns over “cybersecurity” will result in businesses and governments investing heavily in software that protects their networks and vital electronic infrastructure from attack. As a result, Cyber Security has become a major concern for the U, low costS, the Department of Defense, and the Intelligence Community.

Very few organizations are willing to trust the security of their new low-cost, offshore software engineering firms. Finally, low-cost offshore outsourcing is not a real threat in economic and competitive terms because software engineering requires innovation and intense research and development expenditures. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

One area with a tremendous appetite for software engineers is the Federal Government. The Federal Government continues to grow and, with the present trend in Government spending, greater demand for IT and Cyber Security engineering specialists will also generate job demand.

Ensuring Quality Standards – A Problem

While there is tremendous demand for engineering professionals, software engineers’ systems and networks are often the heart of any large business or government enterprise. Quality and efficiency cannot be sacrificed for substandard performance. Many who call themselves “Software Engineers” are not fully qualified and often produce low-quality work output.

Many professions enforce quality standards through professional certification boards. Still, professional certification of software engineers is confusing and, while many view it as a tool to improve professional practice, others consider it an unnecessary encumbrance. In the United States, most certification programs in the IT industry are oriented toward specific technologies and are managed by the vendors of these technologies.

No matter which way the debate goes, full accreditation will not serve as a quality standard backstop for software engineers in the foreseeable future, so other on-the-job standards must be used to ensure engineering quality. Documented past performance that is favorable or a history of software development in a demanding industry has become a major factor in determining future success.

Software Engineering and the Intelligence Community – Real-Time Certification

Employers and government service contractors must exercise great care with the absence of any standard certification programs when utilizing software engineers. to design or restore critical network or enterprise software. Servicing the needs of the Intelligence Community is a demanding task, but the experience will test the skills, work ethic, and judgment of even the most seasoned software engineer. Thus engineers with IC experience command a premium wage and benefits based upon proving themselves capable,

When a formal certification is not available, broad and extensive software engineering experience in the Intelligence Community on a job candidate’s resume is often a valuable real-time substitute. Jon M. Stout is Chief Executive Officer of Aspiration Software LLC. Aspiration Software LLC is an Information Technology/Cyber Security services provider focused on the Intelligence Community (IC). For more information about Software Engineering.

Calvin M. Barker

Typical tv scholar. Problem solver. Writer. Extreme bacon fan. Twitter maven. Music evangelist. Spent a year consulting about salsa in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Spoke at an international conference about lecturing about junk food in New York, NY. Earned praise for promoting robotic shrimp in Phoenix, AZ. Spent 2002-2007 working on catfish in Naples, FL. Spent several months developing yogurt in Orlando, FL. Spent high school summers managing dandruff in Africa.

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