Skill Descriptors
Decision Making and Critical Thinking: Knowledge of the decision-making process and associated tools and techniques; ability to accurately analyze situations and reach productive decisions based on informed judgment.
Level Working Knowledge:
• Applies an assigned technique for critical thinking in a decision-making process.
• Identifies, obtains, and organizes relevant data and ideas.
• Participates in documenting data, ideas, players, stakeholders, and processes.
• Recognizes, clarifies, and prioritizes concerns.
• Assists in assessing risks, benefits and consideration of alternatives.
Effective Communications: Understanding of effective communication concepts, tools and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors.
Level Working Knowledge:
• Delivers helpful feedback that focuses on behaviors without offending the recipient.
• Listens to feedback without defensiveness and uses it for own communication effectiveness.
• Makes oral presentations and writes reports needed for own work.
• Avoids technical jargon when inappropriate.
• Looks for and considers non-verbal cues from individuals and groups.
Software Development: Knowledge of software development tools and activities; ability to produce software products or systems in line with product requirements.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Conducts walkthroughs and monitors effectiveness and quality of the development activities.
• Elaborates on multiple-development toolkits for traditional and web-based software.
• Has participated in development of multiple or large software products.
• Contrasts advantages and drawbacks of different development languages and tools.
• Estimates and monitors development costs based on functional and technical requirements.
• Provides consulting on both selection and utilization of developers’ workbench tools.
Software Development Life Cycle: Knowledge of software development life cycle; ability to use a structured methodology for delivering and managing new or enhanced software products to the marketplace.
Level Working Knowledge:
• Describes similarities and differences of life cycle for new product development vs. new release.
• Identifies common issues, problems, and considerations for each phase of the life cycle.
• Works with a formal life cycle methodology.
• Explains phases, activities, dependencies, deliverables, and key decision points.
• Interprets product development plans and functional documentation.
Software Integration Engineering: Knowledge of software integration processes and functions; ability to design, develop and maintain interfaces and linkage to alternative platforms and software packages.
Level Working Knowledge:
• Has experience with designing data exchange interfaces to and from software product.
• Describes tools and techniques for extraction, transformation and loading of electronic data.
• Cites examples of common linkage requirements for software products and vendors.
• Works with integrating software into the customer or partner framework and infrastructure.
• Participates in the development of technology interfaces and bridges.
Software Product Design/Architecture: Knowledge of software product design; ability to convert market requirements into the software product design.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Demonstrates experience with the architecture and design of major or multiple products.
• Describes major software architecture alternatives and considerations.
• Explains design considerations for commercial database systems, operating systems and web.
• Displays experience in estimating the cost of a specific design of a proposed product.
• Facilitates design reviews and walkthroughs.
• Analyzes benefits and drawbacks of specific software designs and architecture.
Software Product Technical Knowledge: Knowledge of technical aspects of a software products; ability to design, configure and integrate technical aspects of software products.
Level Working Knowledge:
• Maintains and utilizes data related to install base configurations and environments.
• Solicits customer feedback; reports and monitors bugs and implementation issues.
• Participates in defining and conducting technical acceptance tests.
• Participates in creating technical requirements for software development and deployment.
• Explains basic environment and product configuration options.
Software Product Testing: Knowledge of software product testing; ability to design, plan, and execute testing strategies and tactics to ensure software product quality and adherence to stated requirements.
Level Working Knowledge:
• Participates in test readiness reviews, functional, volume, and load testing.
• Describes key features and aspects of a specific testing discipline or methodology.
• Tests software components for compliance with functional requirements and design specifications.
• Explains procedures for documenting test activities and results (e.g. errors, non-conformance, etc.)
• Conducts functional and performance testing on aspects of assigned products.