Delivering Software Engineering Skills

There is a significant difference between people who know about software engineering and those skilled in producing high quality systems on time in ways that delight the customer. Too many academics focus on the latest tools, methods and technique while they ignore a number of the important lessons new engineers must master. While many assert that what differentiates a novice from a master is the number of patterns they can recognize and then leverage for their benefit, becoming a master is so much more. Earning the respect of the client and maintaining it through the entire project is as important as the required technical skills. Being able to continuously find the risks, technical and others, and having the skill to manage them as they change is equally crucial. Truly successful software engineers in today's turbulent world must demonstrate knowledge, skill and wisdom in business relationships to the same degree they are able to solve technical problems. This presentation will survey what we have learned about bringing predictability and quality to the development of high value systems. It will then focus on the importance of addressing both knowledge and skill aspects of software engineering in the context of a professional's career. Finally, an approach for delivering such an educational experience will be described.