Software engineering is a field that is always evolving in order to meet the needs of the future. The past decade is no exception. There have been major changes to the top languages, platforms and processes in use by engineers everywhere. Here are some of the more outstanding examples of how software has changed in the past 10 years:
Agile Development is Now a Norm in Many Large Companies:
Business people that know process were a bit skeptical of the concept of software engineers redesigning a production process to make it richer and more efficient. In the early days of Agile, there were certainly some fits and starts from a budget standpoint. Its development continued, however, until it was mature enough to become adopted by several large corporations.
Software Became Less of a Tool and More of an Experience:
For everyone that says that Apple invented the user experience with the iPhone and the iPad, there is someone that will mention the numerous industry design consultants who evangelized to executives about the need for design change using airlines’ seatback tablets as an example- years before Apple introduced their products. However the change occurred, the net result is that user experience has become much more than a mantra for most software engineers.
Software Education Moved Online:
In a dynamic industry, constant education is one of the best ways to ensure that your job security remains strong. A decade ago, there were not as many online options for traditional degree programs as there are today. One university, New Jersey Institute of Technology, even offers a masters of computer science online, making it more convenient than ever for engineers to get a formal education without cutting too much into their normally hectic work schedule.
The Cost of Computing Continues to Drop, Making Software More Ubiquitous:
With wide-scale adoption of tablets and smartphones, more of the world now has computing power than any time in the past. The need for software engineers across a wide variety of disciplines therefore continues to grow. 10 years ago, the automotive industry was not as interesting to most software engineers and tech geeks. Today, with hybrids and all-electric vehicles, some of the major software companies have firm plans in place to produce their own cars and technology that incorporate their own operating systems or functionalities.
Overall, 10 years from now, software engineering will likely be much different than it is today- yet wanting to be part of the achievements that drive that change and continually evolving educationally in order to stay ahead of change are constants that continue to define the industry.
