Topics that software developers currently know most about.
The top 25 topics according to question 2 of the survey. These are the topics that software engineers and managers know best.
Sample of data from the
1998 Survey of Software Practitioners
Rank |
Topic |
Mean of Q2 |
Std. dev. |
% rating 4 or 5 |
% rating > 1 |
1 |
Specific Programming Languages |
4.1 |
1.03 |
78% |
97% |
2 |
Data Structures |
3.7 |
1.12 |
65% |
96% |
3 |
Operating Systems |
3.4 |
1.11 |
46% |
96% |
4 |
Software Design and Patterns |
3.4 |
1.30 |
52% |
90% |
5 |
Software Architecture |
3.3 |
1.36 |
49% |
87% |
6 |
Giving Presentations to an Audience |
3.3 |
1.34 |
50% |
89% |
7 |
Databases |
3.2 |
1.22 |
45% |
89% |
8 |
Object Oriented Concepts & Technology |
3.2 |
1.41 |
45% |
85% |
9 |
Testing, Verification & Quality Assurance |
3.2 |
1.18 |
41% |
91% |
10 |
Analysis and Design Methods |
3.2 |
1.33 |
50% |
85% |
11 |
Requirements Gathering & Analysis |
3.1 |
1.37 |
48% |
87% |
12 |
Project Management |
3.1 |
1.25 |
39% |
91% |
13 |
File Management |
3.1 |
1.46 |
45% |
84% |
14 |
Ethics and Professionalism |
3.0 |
1.47 |
38% |
84% |
15 |
Design of Algorithms |
3.0 |
1.46 |
44% |
83% |
16 |
Technical Writing |
3.0 |
1.43 |
41% |
85% |
17 |
Data Transmission and Networks |
3.0 |
1.29 |
39% |
87% |
18 |
Configuration and Release Management |
2.8 |
1.50 |
34% |
79% |
19 |
Human Computer Interaction / User Interfaces |
2.8 |
1.39 |
30% |
81% |
20 |
Programming Language Theory |
2.7 |
1.48 |
33% |
77% |
21 |
Computer System Architecture |
2.7 |
1.45 |
31% |
79% |
22 |
Performance Measurement & Analysis |
2.6 |
1.43 |
28% |
79% |
23 |
Maintenance, Reengineering and Rev. Engg. |
2.6 |
1.42 |
33% |
79% |
24 |
Network Architecture & Data Transmission |
2.6 |
1.41 |
27% |
77% |
25 |
Systems Programming |
2.5 |
1.67 |
36% |
68% |