Software doesn’t operate in a vacuum. It needs people to create it, test it, and operate it. In other words, software development teams are the human element behind software. To build a successful team and produce great code, you need the right people with the right skills—and that means hiring or contracting the right individuals for each role. If you’re new to software development or are working on building your first team, this blog post will give you insight into the different roles and responsibilities involved in creating a Software Development Team.
Programmers
Programmers write the actual code that will be used by end users of a product or service. Depending on your field, the languages you use might be written in Java, Python, Ruby, or something else. Programmers are typically responsible for the actual programming language used, and managing the developers who will write the code that runs behind the scenes of a software application. Programmers are not responsible for creating user experiences or UI design, though they may be involved in creating the server-side architecture that will be used to power the application.
Testers
Testers are responsible for ensuring that the code written by programmers is actually working properly. There are a few different types of testing that may be performed by a tester, including functional testing, security testing, and usability testing. Testers may also be responsible for creating test cases for the code that is written by programmers. This is to ensure that the code doesn’t break any functionality or cause a bug to occur when it is released. Testers should also be skilled in the tools that are used to perform the different types of testing. Testers are typically not responsible for writing code but may write a small amount of code to test a specific feature or functionality.
Product Managers
Product managers work with the rest of the team to create or update a product or service. They are responsible for understanding the features that will be included in a new release or product and the exact business value it will provide. Product managers are often responsible for creating user stories, acceptance criteria, and other forms of documentation that outline the features that need to be included. They may also work with the designers to create mockups or prototypes of a product or feature to give team members and stakeholders an idea of what the product will look like when it is released.
UX and UI Designers
UX designers and UI designers work closely together on a software development team. Both of these roles are responsible for creating the visual aspects of a product or service. UX designers are responsible for creating mockups or prototypes of how a product might look when it is released. They create wireframes and decide which colors, fonts, and other visual elements should be used for each feature. UI designers create mockups of what the screens for each feature will look like. They use the information provided by UX designers to create a visual representation of what a user will see when they use the product. UX and UI designers are often responsible for creating user stories, acceptance criteria, and other forms of documentation that outline the features that need to be included.
Data Analysts and Data Scientists
Data analysts and data scientists work closely together on software development teams and often sit outside of the development team. Both of these roles are responsible for understanding the data that will be used by an application. They are also responsible for determining what insights can be drawn from that data. Data analysts work with the product managers and stakeholders to determine what data will be collected or used by an application. They may also work with the data scientists to determine how the data should be analysed. Data scientists are responsible for actually analysing the data that is collected. They may determine what algorithms or visualisations should be used to draw insights from the data. These insights may be used to improve a product, service, or feature. Data scientists are often responsible for creating documentation such as user stories or acceptance criteria.
Quality Assurance Specialists
Quality assurance specialists work closely with the testers on a software development team. They are responsible for testing the application before it is released and identifying bugs or issues with the code. They may conduct exploratory testing before the product is released to identify potential issues with the code. They may also use automation tools to perform these tests. They may also be responsible for creating test cases for the code that is written by programmers. This is to ensure that the code doesn’t break any functionality or cause a bug to occur when it is released.
Operations Engineers and Administrators
Operations engineers and administrators work closely together on a software development team. They are responsible for the operating environment that is used to host applications. This may include the operating system being used, the databases, and any other software that is used to operate an application. Operations engineers may also be responsible for setting up and configuring the databases that are used by a product. Administrators may be responsible for managing the servers that an application is hosted on. They may also be responsible for installing updates, patches, and new software as needed. Operations engineers and administrators are often responsible for creating user stories, acceptance criteria, and other forms of documentation that outline the features that need to be included.
Conclusion
As you can see, each role on a software development team has its own set of responsibilities and requirements. Before hiring a developer, make sure that they have the skills and experience needed for the specific role. You may also want to consider hiring a contractor. Hiring a contractor for a specific project can be a great way to get the specific skills and experience you need without committing to a long-term relationship. When hiring for any of these roles, make sure to check references and reviews to find the best candidate for your team.