FI-AE 01 Berufsbild und Arbeitsweise (EN)

FI-AE 01: Professional Profile and Work Methods

As an Application Development IT Specialist, you design and implement software solutions for business requirements. This module provides the fundamentals of your professional profile, interfaces to other IT roles, and the differences between agile and classical development models.

You will learn about typical fields of activity and understand how to collaborate with other professionals in project teams. The focus is on the practical application of modern work methods and avoiding common pitfalls in daily development work.

Concepts and Background

Application Development

The conception, programming, and implementation of software solutions to support business processes, taking into account requirements, quality assurance, and maintainability.

Agile Methods

Iterative and incremental approaches such as Scrum or Kanban, which provide short development cycles, continuous feedback loops, and flexible adaptation to changing requirements.

Waterfall Model

A sequential approach model with clearly defined phases (requirements analysis, design, implementation, testing, maintenance), where each phase must be completed before the next begins.

Interface Management

The systematic design and maintenance of communication points between software components or between software and external systems, taking into account protocols, data formats, and security aspects.

DevOps

A cultural approach and methodology for unifying software development and IT operations through automation, continuous integration, and continuous delivery (CI/CD).

Architecture Diagram

flowchart LR
  A[Client] --> B(Application Development)
  B --> C[Quality Assurance]
  B --> D[System Administration]
  C --> E[Operations]
  D --> E
  E --> A

Practical Steps

1. Analyze business requirements using user stories and acceptance criteria. This ensures that the developed solution meets the actual needs of the users.
2. Create a technical concept with architecture diagrams and technology selection. A clear design forms the basis for maintainable and extensible software.
3. Implement the solution in small, incremental steps with regular commits. This enables early feedback and makes it easier to track changes.
4. Continuously conduct automated tests (unit tests, integration tests). Test automation ensures code quality and reduces manual effort.
5. Integrate the solution into the CI/CD pipeline for automated builds and deployments. Automated deployments minimize human errors and accelerate the release cycle.
6. Document the solution using code comments and technical documentation. Good documentation facilitates maintenance and onboarding of new team members.
7. Coordinate regular sprint review meetings with stakeholders. Regular feedback loops ensure that the product meets the requirements.

Common Pitfalls

Further Resources

• Scrum Guide - Official Documentation
• Microsoft .NET Architecture Guides
• Pro Git - Comprehensive Book on Git
• IAF - Professional Profile Application Development IT Specialist
• Martin Fowler - Articles on Agile Methods and Software Architecture

Knowledge Check

Four questions for self-assessment. Click on each question to see the correct answer and explanation.

What is the main characteristic of agile development models compared to the waterfall model?

• A) Long planning phases before actual development
• B) Iterative and incremental approach with short feedback loops
• C) No consideration of changes during development
• D) Strict separation between development and operations

Correct Answer: B. Agile methods are characterized by short development cycles and continuous adaptation to changing requirements, while the waterfall model is sequential and less flexible.

Which task is NOT typically within the responsibility of an Application Development IT Specialist?

• A) Conception and programming of software solutions
• B) System administration and network operations
• C) Quality assurance of developed applications
• D) Requirements analysis and creation of user stories

Correct Answer: B. While Application Development IT Specialists develop software, system administration is typically the task of System Integration IT Specialists or IT Administrators.

What is the main goal of DevOps in application development?

• A) Maximum separation between development and operations
• B) Reduction of the number of deployments per year
• C) Unification of software development and IT operations through automation
• D) Increasing documentation requirements in the development process

Correct Answer: C. DevOps aims to integrate development and operations through automation and continuous processes to improve collaboration and accelerate delivery.

Which element is crucial for interface management in application development?

• A) Maximum comp