Definitions of most frequent tech skills

SAP ERP systems SAP ERP is enterprise resource planning software developed by the German company SAP SE. SAP ERP incorporates the key business functions of an organization.
GIS A geographic information system is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyse, manage, and present spatial or geographic data.
Embedded system An embedded system is a computer system with a dedicated function within a larger mechanical or electrical system, often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts.
Salesforce.com Development Salesforce provides companies with an interface for case management and task management, and a system for automatically routing and escalating important events.
Game development Game development is the process of creating a video game. The effort is undertaken by a game developer, which may range from a single person to an international team dispersed across the globe.
Application packaging Application packaging is a process of combining the relevant files and components to build a customised application for a customer. This is often done using tools like Wise Package Studio and Install Shield.
Java development Java is a general-purpose computer programming language that is concurrent, class-based, object-oriented, and specifically designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible.
Storage system and management Storage management included the technologies and processes used to optimise or improve the performance of data storage resources. It is a broad category that includes virtualisation, replication, mirroring, security, compression, traffic analysis, process automation, storage provisioning and related techniques.
Software code debugging Debugging is the process of finding and resolving defects or problems within the program that prevent correct operation of computer software or a system. Debugging tactics can involve interactive debugging, control flow analysis, unit testing, integration testing, log file analysis, monitoring at the application or system level, memory dumps, and profiling.
Multimedia software platform A multimedia framework is a software framework that handles media on a computer and through a network.
Computing Computing is any goal-oriented activity requiring, benefiting from, or creating a mathematical sequence, or algorithm. Computing includes designing, developing and building hardware and software systems; processing, structuring, and managing various kinds of information; doing scientific research on and with computers; making computer systems behave intelligently; and creating and using communications and entertainment media.
Data Presentation Data presentation or visualisation is viewed by many disciplines as a modern equivalent of visual communication. It is the process of visually representing data in a form that enables trends and patterns to be visually recognised.
IBM Mainframe and Systems IBM mainframes are large computer systems produced by IBM since 1952. IBM mainframes are used as IT infrastructure for an organisation or business.
Distributed and Cloud Computing Distributed computing is where multiple computers participate in solving/computing a task. Cloud computing refers to providing a computing, or off-site storage service via the internet.
IT Infrastructure and System Management IT Infrastructure and System Management is the administration of the information technology systems in an enterprise data center. An effective systems management plan facilitates the delivery of IT as a service (ITaaS) and allows the organization’s employees to respond to changing business requirements in an agile manner.
Computer Network and Network Administration Computer network and network administration is the process of administering and managing computer networks. Various services provided by this discipline include fault analysis, performance management, provisioning of networks, and maintaining the quality of service.
Mobile development Mobile app development is a term used to denote the act or process by which a mobile app is developed for mobile devices, such as personal digital assistants, enterprise digital assistants or mobile phones.
Scripting languages A scripting or script language is a programming language that supports scripts: programs written for a special run-time environment that automate the execution of tasks that could alternatively be executed one-by-one by a human operator.
Algorithm In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm is an unambiguous specification of how to solve a class of problems. Algorithms can perform calculation, data processing and automated reasoning tasks.
Middleware and system integration  Middleware is computer software that provides services to software applications beyond those available from the operating system. System integration is defined in engineering as the process of bringing together the component sub-systems into one system (an aggregation of subsystems cooperating so that the system is able to deliver the overarching functionality) and ensuring that the subsystems function together as a system, and in information technology as the process of linking together different computing systems and software applications physically or functionally, to act as a coordinated whole.
Security Cyber security, computer security or IT security is the protection of computer systems from the theft and damage to their hardware, software or information, as well as from disruption or misdirection of the services they provide.
Microsoft Windows Systems Microsoft Windows, or simply Windows, is an overarching family of operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Microsoft. It consists of several families of operating systems, each of which cater to a certain sector of the computing industry with the OS typically associated with IBM PC compatible architecture.
Software and User testing User testing is a technique used in user-centered interaction design to evaluate a product by testing it on users. This can be seen as an irreplaceable usability practice, since it gives direct input on how real users use the system.
Software revision control system A component of software configuration management, software revision control, also known as revision control or source control, is the management of changes to documents, computer programs, large web sites, and other collections of information.
C/C++ C++ is a general-purpose programming language. It has imperative, object-oriented and generic programming features, while also providing facilities for low-level memory manipulation.
Mac, Linux, and Unix Systems macOS is the current series of Unix-based graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Apple Inc. designed to run on Apple’s Macintosh computers. It has been preinstalled on all Macs since 2002. Linux is a name that broadly denotes a family of free and open-source software operating systems built around the Linux kernel. Typically, Linux is packaged in a form known as a Linux distribution for both desktop and server use.
Virtualization Virtualization refers to the act of creating a virtual (rather than actual) version of something, including virtual computer hardware platforms, storage devices, and computer network resources.

 

Tech Nation Talent

A four-part series of reports on the talent and skills dynamics of the UK tech sector.


Download the:

International talent report Infographic