A program is a list of instructions that tells a computer how to process data into information. Programming is the process used to produce a program. It is also called software development, which follows a six-step procedure known as Software Development Life Cycle.

For further information, let’s go through each step one by one.

1. Program Specification

This step is also called program analysis and program definition. The program specification step involves both programmer and the end-user. There are several factors that are considered in this step.

Program Objective

Identification of the problem that is trying to solve through a program. The sole objective of the program is to find a solution for related problems.

Desired output

In a program before identifying inputs, the output should be determined. End-users have to sketch their desired output and have to print it on paper or display it on a monitor, in a way the programmer can understand.

Input Data

After determining the output, input data should be given to obtaining the exact desired output.

Processing requirements

Definition of processing tasks that must take place in processing input data to the desired output.

Program specification document

All the data gathered in the above four steps are documented in a report so that they can be used in the upcoming steps.

The program specification step is very important in developing a program as it is the foundation of any program.

2. Program Design

The second step in the software development life cycle concerns planning the program using structured programming techniques.

Some of the techniques that can be used in this step are

Top-down program design

Top-down program design is an approach to program design that starts with the general concept of the program and repeatedly breaks it down into its component parts. Here at first inputs and outputs are determined. Then using top-down design, processing steps related to them are identified. A processing step is called a module and the module contains logically related program codes. The program must pass from one module to another in sequence until all modules are processed by the computer.

Pseudocode

This technique presents the outline of the logic of the program. It is just like writing a summary report on the program before coding it.

Flow Chart

The flow chart is a graphical representation of a sequence of steps in a detailed form that can be used to solve a problem. In a flow chart, only one module of top-down program design is presented.

Logical structures are used in a flow chart to combine different parts of the flow chart together. There are three basic types of logical structures,

1. Sequential

Here one program statement follows the other. There are no selections or repetitions in the program.

2. Selection

Selection is used when a decision is made during the program. The outcome of the selection statement determines the path that should be followed.

3. Repetition

Repetition describes a process that is repeated again and again until a certain condition remains true.

The program design step also ends with documentation that brings out the logic of the program designed using a structured programming technique.

3. Program Code

This step involves writing the program using a programming language. Programmer should select the most appropriate programming language to be used and the program is written according to rules and standards of the language. It is the same as writing a report using a language used by humans like English. Here the logic developed in the program design step is used to write step-by-step program statements.

A good program,

• Should be reliable.
• Should work under different cases and produce the desired output.
• Should be understandable by users other than the programmer.
• Should be well documented.

Program coding is an extra important step as it can be considered as the central point of the software development life cycle.

4. Program Test

In this step, the program written in the earlier step is tested to check whether it is error-free and produces the desired output.

Mainly there are two types of errors in a program code,

• Syntax Errors

These occur when the rules and the standards of the programming language are violated.

Ex: In C language not using “;” at the end of a program statement is a syntax error.

• Logical Errors

These occur when the logical meaning of the program is wrong.

Ex: Use of multiplication symbol between two numbers when the program needs their addition.

There are several ways that can be used to carry out this step. Some of them are,

1. Desk checking

In this method, the programmer checks the code line by line using a printout of the written code.

2. Manual testing

This method can be used if the problem that is trying to solve is a mathematical problem. Herewith the use of input data the solution is obtained through a calculator manually and then the obtained solution is compared with the output of the code when it is run on the computer.

3. Testing with program translation

This method can be used to identify syntax errors in a program. A program is run on the computer using a program translator. But to run a program it should be error-free, so in the program translation process, syntax errors can be identified.

4. Testing with sample data

After correcting syntax errors in the program, this method can be used to identify logical errors in a program. Here sample data is provided to the program and checks whether the desired output is obtained. If it is not then, a logical error is preventing from getting the desired output as there are no syntax errors.

5. Beta test with potential users

In this process, the program is tested with potential users. They try out the program and provide their feedback.

After this step, the program code should be error-free and produce the desired output.

4. Program Documentation

Documentation is done through all the steps of the life cycle and in this step, all the previous documents are reviewed, finalized, and distributed.

Documentation is important for people who get involved with the program in the future,

· Users

Users need to know how to use the program. These kinds of documentation are written manuals or help options in some applications.

· Computer Operators

In a failure of the program, operators should know about the program to fix it.

· Programmer

The programmer who develops the program also needs a document to revise the program when time goes by. And also other programmers who will modify the program in the future should know about the structure of the program.

Program documentation is a future investment in the software development life cycle.

5. Program Maintenance

This step is a continuous process that is carried out as long as the software is in use. Program maintenance is done to ensure that the program is operating error-free, effectively, and efficiently.

A program should be updated and modified with the change of needs of the end-user, change of new technology, and external factors affecting the program.

Program modifications are known as patches and if patches are significant, then they are called software updates.

Following this software development life cycle can bring out software with the best quality, but at the same time, it is also time-consuming and can be expensive.

If you are new to software Engineering software development life cycle is a must to know.

Hope the article is useful in improving your basic knowledge of software development. Thank you very much for reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isuruni Rathnayaka

Software Development Life Cycle was originally published in SESA-UOK on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

“What amplifies the transformational power ahead is the confluence of two major technological currents today: the universal access to mobile computing and the pervasive use of social networks” — Author: Michael J. Saylor

If you are reading this article most probably you may have a rough idea on the concept, mobile computing or you may be totally new to the concept. So, I will provide an overall idea on mobile computing for those who are familiar and not.

what is mobile computing?

Answer to this question will improve your interest in mobile computing. Mobile computing is the human–computer interaction that take place through mobility, which allows for the transmission of data and information. Generally mobile refers to access in motion, regardless of a specific geographic location. So, simply stating mobile computing promotes the concept “Anytime Anywhere”. The basic concept of mobile computing involves mobile communication, mobile hardware, and mobile software.

· Mobile Communication

Mobile Communication is the framework behind the proper functioning of mobile computing technology. It is the infrastructure responsible for reliable communication among devices. The mobile communication framework consists of communication devices such as protocols, services, bandwidth, and portals necessary to facilitate and support the stated services.

· Mobile Hardware

Mobile hardware are mobile devices or device components responsible for accessing the service of mobility. Mobile hardware can be laptops, desktops, smartphones, tablets, Wearable computers, Smart cards, Personal Digital Assistants, etc.

· Mobile Software

Mobile software is the actual program that runs on the mobile hardware. It handles the characteristics and requirements of mobile applications. Mobile software is necessary in operating mobile devices.

“Future is mobile computing — smartphones and tablets are just elements of it. The industry is on the verge of a whole new paradigm” — Thorsten Heins

What are the fields in which mobile computing can be applied?

Answer to this question will show you how important mobile computing is. People are more interested in mobile computing due to it’s convenience in usage and the Covid-19 pandemic has made the world use mobile computing in almost every purpose. Some of major fields that use mobile computing can be listed as,

· Health Care Services

Health care services can be made more efficient with mobile computing applications. Because of their ubiquity with low cost, mobile computing devices are very well suited for supporting and treating many diseases. These technologies make it possible for healthcare providers to monitor patient’s health and to guide patient’s self-care beyond the limits of personal meetings. Remote monitoring of patients has become possible and patients can be provided timely treatment with mobile computing. There are two major categories of mobile applications for healthcare as applications that monitor physiological functions and send information to patients and applications that deliver information and feedback to patients.

· Emergency Services

In an emergency situation, information regarding the address, type and other details of an incident can be dispatched quickly using mobile computing devices.

· Organizations and companies

Mobile computing technology can improve management effectiveness of an organization by improving information quality, information flow, and ability to control a mobile workforce. Also, mobile computing enables improvements in the operational efficiency of organizations where mobile computer stays with the employee, instead of the employee being required to travel to the computer. The improvements in information accessibility enabled by mobile computing in a company result in improved information flow both to and from the central fixed information system. The mobile computing enables quick and efficient information retrieval from the central information system making it trouble-free for employees.

· Transportation

Mobile Computing is also at the origin of a new transportation ecosystem. Using mobile computers in conjunction with GPS/GIS and an accompanying vehicle information system (VIS), the operations of an entire transportation fleet can be managed from a central location.

· Education

Mobile computing has become a necessary tool for education and in improvement of professional skills. M-learning can deliver information from anywhere in the world to the student. With the Covid-19 pandemic nowadays mobile computing is used to conduct classes, lectures, meetings etc. in schools and universities. Education can be made convenient and modernized with the applications of mobile computing.

“Technology is enabling our need to be mobile. We want to ensure that Learning matches our Lifestyle.” — Tony Bingham

What are the career paths related to mobile computing?

Answer to this question will surely motivates you to learn mobile computing. Mobile Computing is a technical field that covers the design, development and evaluation of mobile applications using appropriate solutions that meet user requirements. People who engage in careers related to mobile computing work in mobile innovation.

· Mobile App Developer

Mobile app developer’s main duty is to create, maintain, implement and develop mobile apps and mobile platform programs that meet the needs and requirements of the clients. Requirements for mobile app developer vary with employers. If you have a degree in Computer Engineering, Software Engineering or Information Technology you are more likely to get hired. Glassdoor.com reports that the average salary of a mobile applications developer in the United States range from $57k — $177k while payscale.com states average salary for entry level mobile app developers as $72K per year. Along with the good pay, the fast industry growth makes a mobile app developer the best and most satisfying career path for a person who loves exploring all the possibilities of new technology and innovations.

· Android Developer

The main job responsibility of an Android developer is designing and developing advanced applications for the Android platform. A degree in Software Engineering or a related subject and experience in android app development will be considered as your requirements in hiring. According to indeed.com the average salary for an android developer is $120,640 per year in the United States. You can make a very competitive income, and build a very satisfying career as an Android developer. Android is still the most used mobile operating system in the world, and the demand for skilled Android developers remains very high.

· Mobile Architect

Designing mobile architecture is the first and crucial step in app development. A mobile architect’s responsibilities are to design and create the architecture for mobile applications that are helpful, imaginative, and easy to understand. To be qualified as a Mobile Architect you need to have at least a bachelor’s degree in software engineering or a similar discipline. Your studies should focus on building software and using the programming languages necessary for the mobile architecture. On the report of ziprecruiter.com as of May 27, 2021, the average annual pay for a Mobile Architect in the United States is $147,850 a year. If you wish to be a technocrat behind the best games, email, talk, and social applications that are accessible today in the mobile world mobile architect is your career path.

· Mobile Solutions consultant

Mobile Solutions Consultant has in-depth technical knowledge required to consult developers in developing quality, enterprise-class mobile applications and innovative solutions that address needs of the clients. In addition to client centric projects, the Mobile Solutions Consultant is expected to research and exploit new and emerging technologies. The Mobile Solutions Consultant should have a degree in IT related field and should possess skills in a variety of programming languages, mobile operating systems, and mobile app development techniques. According to glassdoor.com national average salary of a mobile solutions consultant is $78,096 in United States. If you like both consultancy and mobile computing this career path will match your expectations.

· Mobile Test Engineer

Mobile Test Engineers’ responsibilities include testing mobile device software, updating operating systems, and reporting any application malfunctions. Mobile Test Engineers also work to ensure that mobile devices meet network carrier requirements. Bachelor’s in software engineering, computer engineering, information technology, or a similar degree and knowledge of mobile operating systems such as iOS and Android will make you the best candidate for a Mobile Test Engineer. Based on glassdoor.com national average salary of a Mobile Test Engineer is $86,987 in United States.

“…the affordances of mobile technologies change our epistemology… what we know, how we know it, how we come to know, what we help others know, how we assess the worth and credibility of the known, what it is valuable to know for aesthetic, economic, cultural and any other reasons and who decides the worth of knowing…” — Prof. John Traxler

What will be the future of mobile computing?

Answer to this question will make you add mobile computing to your cart of learning. Mobile computing has grown immensely in recent years and it is sure that in the future, mobile computing will control almost all technological activities in the world. As you all know, the Covid -19 pandemic has made humans realize that the world is facing new challenges and they require modern solutions. Pandemic force us to stay at home and luckily the objective of mobile computing is to be able to work from anywhere. Today people need devices that will easily enable them to do their work from the confines of their current location. Future of mobile computing tangled with other modernized technologies will empower the mankind.

· Internet of Things (IOT)

The IoT describes the growing network of devices connected to the Internet, providing automated control to consumers. Combination of IoT and mobile computing is far from a new concept but this combination will bring magic in to the real life in the future. Smart home technology is a perfect example of the connection in IoT and mobile computing.

· Apps for Foldable Devices

Foldable devices like smartphones fold to compress or expand the screen size based on user preferences. A mobile app that is used in a foldable device should adjust its display as the screen folds or unfolds. So, mobile app development will turn its path to a new angle to suit with foldable devices.

· Geolocation based apps

Geolocation mobile app development is an already prominent trend and will continue to rise in the upcoming years. Geolocation mobile apps deliver a highly personalized experience to the users. By collecting the geolocation of the user, the apps can provide location-based services to the user.

· Mobile Commerce (M- Commerce)

Customers now prefer to shop anytime & anywhere. Thus, mobile e-commerce applications are more in preference in comparison to the websites. As a result of this the e-commerce industry is turning to mobile commerce or M-commerce. Results show that, by the end of 2021, more than 72.9% of total ecommerce sales will come from mobile devices. So, a mobile commerce app for your business is compulsory to stay competitive in the industry.

· Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence and machine learning both penetrated mobile computing years ago. AI in cooperated with mobile computing bring us technologies like Voice Search, Face Unlock, Chatbots, Face App, etc. Apart from the existing technology, AI trends combined with mobile computing like AI-based cameras, voice translations, user predictions, will find a new place in mobile devices.

“In my opinion, the future of mobile is the future of everything.” — Matt Galligan

Hope you enjoy the article and realize the importance of mobile computing. Thank very much you for reading !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isuruni Rathnayaka

Introduction to Mobile Computing was originally published in SESA-UOK on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Although the term Net-Centric seems quite confusing, if you dive deep, the content inside the topic will be felt much familiar since you are using modern technology for your day today activities deliberately or not. So, let’s dive through the content for a better understanding.

What is Net-Centric Computing?

Net-Centric Computing (NCC) is a distributed environment where applications and data are downloaded from servers and exchanged with peers across a network. Net-centric Computing focuses on large-scale distributed computing systems and applications that communicate through open, wide-area networks like the Internet. General examples of large-scale network-centric systems are the World-Wide Web and Computational Grids. For several years, major changes are being brought to the world by universal networking capabilities, such as the Internet. Today’s technology solutions represent the convergence of computing power, networking capability and the information, data or knowledge that forms the content of these solutions. At the center these solutions net-centric computing lies. Net-centric computing refers to an emerging technology architecture and an evolutionary stage of client/server computing. It is a common architecture built on open standards that supports in different ways for different people to collaborate and to reach different information sources. The evolutionary nature of net-centric computing links technological capabilities and strategic opportunities, helping people in facing today’s new problems and providing the flexibility to meet tomorrow’s challenges.

What are the subject areas one should specialize in Net-Centric Computing?

Just as other technologies used in the modern world, Net-centric computing also covers a great amount of subject areas related to it. The knowledge on these areas, make you a good candidate for the job market as well as a knowledgeable person compatible with present-day. There is a wide array of subject areas, the most important of which are;

Web Applications

· Introduction

A web application (or web app) is an application software that runs on a web server. Web applications are accessed by the user through a web browser with an active network connection. Some examples of commonly-used web applications can be stated as web-mail, online retail sales, online banking, and online auctions. Web applications can be designed for a wide variety of users and can be used by anyone for numerous reasons.

· Functionality

For proper functioning a web application requires three elements; a web server to handle requests from the client, an application server to execute the tasks requested by the user and a database to store information. Typical web application flow can be described in five steps;

1. User presents a request to the web server over the Internet, through a web browser or the application’s user interface.
2. Web server sends this request to the appropriate web application server.
3. Web application server performs the requested task and then generates the results of the requested data.
4. Web application server sends results to the web server with the requested information or processed data.
5. Web server responds to the client with the requested information that then appears on the user’s display.

· Development

Development of a web application has two phases as front-end and back-end development. Front-end development is the client-side development and scripting languages like JavaScript, HTML5, or Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are commonly used for the process. Back-end development is the server-side development, languages such as Python, Java, and Ruby are commonly used in server-side programming. Some of the web applications are dynamic, requiring server-side processing while others are completely static with no processing required at the server.

· Design

Web application design is an important stage in building a web application. It focuses on the appearance and feel of the web application to the user. This stage encompasses several different aspects, including user interface design (UI), usability design(UX), content production, and graphic design. UI stands for User Interface. UI is the part of the web application with which a user interacts. Simply, it’s everything you see and touch, such as buttons, colors, fonts, navigation, etc. UX stands for User Experience. UX focuses on users’ experience and feeling towards their journey through the web app. Was the web application hard to use, was it slow, was the user disappointed when using it? are the criteria mainly considered by a UX designer.

· Security

Attacks against web apps range from database manipulation to large-scale network disruption. Some of the common methods of attack are;

o Cross site scripting (XSS)

o SQL injection (SQi)

o Denial-of-service (DoS) and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS)

o Buffer overflow

o Cross-site request forgery (CSRF)

o Data breach

General yet some of important steps in ensuring security and gaining the customer trust, can be stated as using up-to-date encryption, requiring proper authentication, continuously patching discovered vulnerabilities, and having good software development hygiene.

Distributed Systems

· Introduction

A distributed system is a system whose components are located on different networked computers, which communicate and coordinate their actions by passing messages to one another from any system in order to appear as a single system to the end-user. The computers that are in a distributed system can be physically together and connected by a local network, or they can be geographically distant and connected by a wide area network. A distributed system can consist of any number of possible components, such as mainframes, personal computers, workstations, minicomputers, and so on. Common use cases of a distributed systems are electronic banking systems, massive multiplayer online games, and sensor networks.

· Functionality

There are two general ways that distributed systems function:

1. Each component of the system works to achieve a common goal and the end-user views results as one combined unit.
2. Each component has its own end-user and the distributed system facilitates sharing resources or communication services.

· Architectural models

Distributed systems generally consist of four different basic architectural models:

1. Client-server — Clients contact the server for data, then format it and display it to the end-user.
2. Three-tier — Information about the client is stored in a middle tier rather than on the client, to simplify application deployment.
3. n-tier — Generally used when the server needs to forward requests to additional enterprise services on the network.
4. Peer-to-peer — There are no additional nodes used to provide services or manage resources. Responsibilities are uniformly distributed among components in the system, known as peers, which can serve as either client or server.

Cloud Computing

· Introduction

Cloud computing is the delivery of different computing services including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence over the Internet without direct active management by the user. Simply stating, cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the internet instead of ones’ computer’s hard drive. Organizations are using the cloud for a wide variety of use cases, such as data backup, disaster recovery, email, virtual desktops, software development and testing, big data analytics, and customer-facing web applications. As an example, healthcare services use the cloud to develop more personalized treatments for patients. Financial services are using the cloud to power real-time fraud detection and prevention. And video game makers are using the cloud to deliver online games to players around the world.

· Types of clouds

Not all clouds are the same and not one type of cloud computing is compatible with the necessities of everyone. Three main types of clouds are;

Public cloud

A cloud service provider owns and operate public clouds, which distribute their computing resources, like servers and storage, over the Internet. In a public cloud, all hardware, software, and other supporting infrastructure is managed by the cloud provider. Users can access these services and manage their accounts using a web browser. Microsoft Azure is an example of a public cloud.

Private cloud

A private cloud refers to cloud computing resources used exclusively with single authority. In a private cloud the services and infrastructure are maintained on a private network.

Hybrid cloud

Hybrid clouds combine features of public and private clouds, allowing data and applications to be shared between them A hybrid cloud provides greater flexibility, more deployment options, and helps optimize existing infrastructure, security, and compliance.

· Service models

Most cloud computing services fall into four categories;

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)

This is the most basic category of cloud computing services. With IaaS, you rent IT infrastructure-servers and virtual machines (VMs), storage, networks, operating systems from a cloud provider on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Software as a service (SaaS)

Software as a service is a method for delivering software applications over the Internet, on demand or on a subscription basis. With SaaS, cloud providers host and manage the software applications and underlying infrastructure, and handle any maintenance, like software upgrades and security patching.

Platform as a service (PaaS)

This is considered as the most complex of the three layers of service models. This refers to cloud computing services that supply an on-demand environment for developing, testing, delivering, and managing software applications. PaaS is designed to make it easier for developers to quickly create web or mobile applications.

· Security

Cloud security is a discipline of cyber security committed to secure cloud computing systems. This includes keeping data private and safe across online-based infrastructure, applications, and platforms. Cloud security is a key concern for cloud storage providers. Major threats to cloud security include data breaches, data loss, account hijacking, service traffic hijacking, insecure application program interfaces (APIs) and Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Some common methods of providing cloud security include firewalls, penetration testing, obfuscation, tokenization, virtual private networks (VPN), and avoiding public internet connections.

Semantic Web

“The Semantic Web is a webby way to link data” — Dave Beckett

· Introduction

The Semantic Web is an extension of the existing World Wide Web, extended with the goal of the making network data machine-understandable. In other words, the current Web is transformed from being machine-readable to machine understandable. The Semantic Web provides much smarter and more effortless customer experiences by giving content in the forms compatible to a customer’s need. It not only improves traditional search, but is facilitating more seamless, intelligent, and integrated customer experience journeys as well. Semantic Web represents the next vital evolution in connecting information.

· Role of Ontology in Semantic Web Development

In order to structure the information in machine-understandable semantic models, Semantic Web introduced the concept of “Ontology”. Semantic Web was developed based on Ontology, which is considered as the backbone of the Semantic Web. Ontology is a way of representing the properties of a specific domain and how they are related, by defining a set of concepts, logics and categories that represent the domain. The general objective of an ontology is to achieve a common and shared knowledge that can be transmitted between people and application systems. Therefore, ontologies play an important role in achieving interoperability on the Semantic Web.

· Ontology Supporting Languages

The technology stack supporting the Semantic Web is designed to enable computers, software systems, and people to work together in a network. Ontologies are constructed using some ontology supporting languages, the most important of which are;

RDF

RDF stands for Resource Description Framework. It is a method for publishing and linking data, built around the Web standards: XML and URL (URI). RDF uses the model of the “triple”, three elements (a subject, a predicate and an object) bound together, with the relationships between them.

SPARQL

SPARQL stands for Protocol and RDF Query Language. It is the method, data stored in RDF format gets queried, retrieved and manipulated on the Semantic Web. SPARQL allows users to navigate through different databases and discover relationships between data.

OWL

OWL stands for the Web Ontology Language. So, OWL is a logic-based language, designed to be interpreted by machines so that they can automatically process through the information it describes.

What are the careers related to Net-Centric Computing?

Net-centric computing is an interesting and remarkable discipline that moves intelligence to the edge of the network. A wide range of careers related to net-centric computing include but are not limited to,

Network Administrator

Network administrators are responsible for keeping computer network up-to-date and operating as intended. It is network administrator who implements, manages and troubleshoots a networks. Other than these responsibilities, duties of a network administrator vary according to organization they work for. Typical job duties include consulting with customers to specify system requirements and design solutions, budgeting for equipment and assembly costs for a new network and monitoring computer networks and systems to identify how performance can be improved. At present almost all industries are computer-dependent, network administrators are needed in most disciplines, including the government, the finance industry, manufacturers, retailers, universities and hospitals. Most of the times a network administrator is required to have an IT related degree with knowledge of network types and functions, competencies in programming languages, software and hardware management, and network security.

Net-centric computing being one of the top paying IT fields, network administrators receive an average salary of $60,414 according to payscale.com. Furthermore, Bureau of Labor Statistics report has stated that the lowest 10% of these professionals earned less than $52,830, while the highest 10% earned more than $134,970. It is clear that the job market for network administrators is solid. So, if you wish to be a part of net-centric computing, Network Administrator can be considered as one of the best careers for you.

Network Engineer

Network Engineer is responsible for the planning, designing and implementing computer networks. Although the job titles “network engineer” and “network administrator” looks similar, a network engineer usually has more responsibilities than a network administrator. Also, the network engineering domain deals more with planning, design and implementation, whereas the administration deals mostly with day-to-day maintenance, management and troubleshooting of the network. And also typically, a network engineer requires more education and earns more than a network administrator. Network engineers often overlap with roles, such as computer network architects or security systems engineers. To be hired as a Network Engineer you’ll usually need a degree in subject areas such as software or computer engineering, computer systems and networks, electrical/electronic engineering, mathematics, network security management and physics. Moreover, being able to understand complex networks, pinpoint problems or suggest ways to improve them and having knowledge about applications and software development, reflecting the growing role of automation and software-defined networking will make you a perfect candidate.

According to salary.com the average Network Engineer salary in the United States is $71,596 as of May 27, 2021, but the range typically falls between $63,713 and $82,804 depending upon skills and experience level. Network engineering is a fast-growing occupation. The best thing is you can work for any organization that you like with IT systems including banks, government departments, schools, hospitals and local authorities and transport providers.

Web Applications Developer

Web Applications Developers are responsible for building, and making improvements to websites and web applications. Generally, a typical web application developer is responsible for both back-end development and front-end development. Web application developers are a type of software developer, specialize in utilizing web technologies, use to create websites and web applications. Although they look alike, web application developers are different from web designers, who focus more on designing the user interface of websites and web applications. Other than that common responsibilities of a web developer include discussing clients’ requirements and proposing solutions, using development tools to write and test code to develop solutions, applying off-page SEO (search engine optimization) and managing and uploading website content.

Graduates with a degree in software development or similar fields are preferred for web developer roles with hands on knowledge about scripting languages like HTML/XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, Server architecture, server-side frameworks such as python, ruby, php, Java, ASP, ASP.NET and database systems such as SQL and Oracle. As of Jun 6, 2021, the average annual pay for a Web Applications Developer in the United States is $81,840 a year according to the reports of ziprecruiter.com. It has further stated that web applications developer salaries currently range between $70,000 to $91,000 with top earners making $108,500 annually across the United States. According to glassdoor.com national average salary for a web application developer is $87,585 in United States. Job opportunities for web application developers are expected to expand by about 13% or the decade ending in 2028, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. So, if you are interested in web application development, you should consider being a web application developer.

Net-Centric Computing itself is the future of computing that brings together the lives of people. The earliest computer systems functioned in isolation from one another; but today it is almost impossible to find a computer system that is not networked in some way to other systems. This includes not only desktop and laptop computers, but also devices such as cell phones, entertainment devices and this will face massive changes in the future with advancing technologies like IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence).

“Net-centric computing is like a box. When you open the box; Inside, there is a technology that seems both familiar and new.”

Hope you enjoy the article and you were able to expand your knowledge on Net-Centric Computing. Thank you for reading !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isuruni Rathnayaka

Introduction to Net-Centric Computing was originally published in SESA-UOK on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

For your further knowledge, through this article I will make an effort to provide you with a deep understanding on Business Engineering starting from the introduction.

What is Business Engineering?

Business Engineering (BE) is the interaction between business domains and engineering applications. The core concept of BE includes the design of a business with analytics and supporting information technological tools in a systematic way. The major process involved with Business engineering (BE) is the development and implementation of business solutions, from business model to business processes and organizational structure to information systems and information technology. BE is centered around the advantages of information technology for transforming a business into a business system. Business engineering is often regarded as a subfield of business informatics because of its massive use of information technology. So, to state briefly Business Engineering combines knowledge in the fields of business administration, Industrial Engineering, as well as information technology for Identifying and analyzing business problems and finding solutions.

What areas will be covered in Business Engineering?

Every company, organization or the work of an entrepreneur start its journey as a Business. If I say the world is full of different kinds of businesses I won’t be wrong. So, Business Engineering is a large landscape covering several subject areas including but not limited to,

Business Analysis

Business Analysis can be generally described as a research discipline that helps you to define and validate solutions that meets business needs, goals, or objectives. As mentioned above there are several business domains so, these solutions may include the development of a software or system component, improvements in process, organizational changes or strategic planning and policy development. The main purpose of business analysis is to identify solutions that meet the need for improvement. Moreover, business analysis helps you to understand the structure and the dynamics of the company and provide a pathway to identify and articulate the need for change.

Although, the practices and procedures may vary in various industries there are six common steps for business analysis as,

1. Enterprise analysis
2. Requirement planning and Management
3. Requirement Elicitation
4. Requirement analysis and Documentation
5. Requirement Communication
6. Solution Evolution and Validation.

In order to implement these steps, some prevailing business analysis techniques that are used by business analysts can be identified.

· MOST — Mission, Objectives, Strategies

· PESTLE — Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal, Environmental

· SWOT — Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats

· MoSCoW — Must or Should, Could or Would

· CATWOE — Customers, Actors, Transformation Process, World View, Owner, Environmental

Business process reengineering (BPR)

“Business Reengineering is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service, and speed” — Michael Hammer and James Champy

Business process reengineering is a method used to improve the performance of any business by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of processes that exist across the business. Simply stating it is the act of recreating a business process with the goal of improving product output, quality, or reducing costs. The world is being subjected to changes every day so normally, reasons such as new market opportunities, increasing competition, poor financial performance, and decreasing market share arise the need for a change in any business. BRP is the approach used to bring this change in order to provide solutions for the above reasons. Business process reengineering is not an easy task as it involves enforcing change in an organization which will tear down something people are used to and create something new. But proper implementation of Business Process Reengineering can be a game-changer to any business.

Generally, Six Key Steps can be identified in Business Process Reengineering also,

1. Define Business Processes
2. Analyze Business Processes.
3. Identify and Analyze Improvement Opportunities.
4. Design Future State Processes.
5. Develop Future State Changes
6. Implement Future State Changes.

There are several business process reengineering methodologies out there that helps in bringing the change to any business process. Some of them can be listed as,

· Hammer / Champy Methodology

· Davenport Methodology

· Manganelli / Klein Methodology

Enterprise resource planning (ERP)

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) refers to a type of software used in different business domains to manage day-to-day business activities such as accounting, procurement, project management, risk management and compliance, and supply chain operations. ERP is usually referred to as a category of business management software. A complete suite of ERP applications forms an ERP system that can be used to effectively communicate and bring together business processes to enable a flow of data between the applications. The main purpose of an ERP system is to increase efficiency of a business by managing and improving how resources are utilized. For better understanding imagine an organization with several departments. In this situation an enterprise resource planning system act as the component that binds together the different computer systems of each department. Without an ERP application, each department would have a system specified for its own tasks. But with ERP software, each department still has its system, but all of the systems can be accessed through one central application with one interface. So, ERP applications allow different departments to communicate and share information more easily with the rest of the organization.

There are also different operational types of ERP software:

• On-premise ERP: ERP software which is deployed directly on your in-site devices.
• Open Source ERP: Open source ERP software used to you customize your application to better suit your workplace.
• Cloud-based ERP: ERP Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) which is available over a Cloud-hosting service.
• Hybrid ERP: ERP which blend on premise and Cloud-based deployment.

Operations Management (OM)

The term operations describes all the activities required to create and deliver goods or services to its customers or clients after performing a certain process. Operations management is the process that generally plans, controls and supervises manufacturing and production processes and service delivery. OM is important in a business because it helps effectively manage, control and supervise goods, services and people.

Since all business fields have operations, certain ways to create an output from various input sources, whether it be manufacturing physical products or offering services, OM is essential in reaching the goals of every business domain. Operations management is a multidisciplinary functional area in a company, along with finance and marketing which are three major functions of any organization. The objective of operations management is to maximize efficiency while producing goods and services that effectively meet customer satisfaction.

As a whole Operations Management includes:

• Forecasting

• Capacity planning

• Scheduling

• Managing inventories

• Assuring quality

• Motivating employees

• Deciding where to locate facilities

• And more . . .

Inventory Management (IM)

If we consider any business there are several types of inventories you encounter ,

• Raw materials & purchased parts

• Work in progress

• Finished-goods inventories

• Replacement parts, tools, & supplies

• Goods-in-transit to warehouses or customers

Inventory management is the system that organizes the way inventory moves through the supply chain. It covers all steps from sourcing, storing, and selling inventories. In business terms, inventory management means the right stock, at the right levels, in the right place, at the right time, and with the right price. Inventory management is crucial for businesses to ensure that they are maintaining aligning inventory levels at all times to minimize cost.

Inventory management is a complex process, but the basics are essentially the same, regardless of the size or type of business. So, a certain business domain will use various inventory management methods. Some of these management techniques include,

· Economic order quantity (EOQ)

· ABC analysis

· Just-in-time (JIT)

· safety stock

· reorder point (ROP)

· FIFO (First-in, First-out) and LIFO (Last-in, First-out)

Computer-aided Design and Computer-aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM)

Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing are two computer based technologies used in a business to perform design and manufacturing functions. Computer-aided design (CAD) involves creating computer models defined by geometrical parameters in the design process. CAD systems enable designers to view objects under a wide variety of representations and to test these objects by simulating real-world conditions. CAM is the use of computer systems to plan, manage and control the operations of manufacturing plant through either direct or indirect computer interface with the plant’s production resources. The main purpose of CAM is to create a faster production process involving computer based tools so, as a result CAM reduces manpower costs in the manufacturing process. The development of CAD and CAM has greatly shortened the period between design and manufacture and greatly expanded the scope of production processes. Additionally, CAD/CAM has given the designer much more direct control over the production process, creating the possibility of completely integrated design and manufacturing processes.

What are the career paths, Business Engineering will bring?

Business Engineering is a new but an outstanding discipline that brings out more captivating career paths to young minds interested in business and Engineering.

Business Engineer

A Business Engineer is a hybrid between a business person and an engineer, a person with the understanding of how the business world works and engineering abilities to understand a complex organization. A business engineer is a combination of a commercial and technical role. So, Business Engineer should interact with customers while consulting Account Managers to provide technical and commercial support. Responsibilities also include Supporting and training the organization in technical, commercial and market-oriented tasks and Coordinating and driving customer-related and internal projects.

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or comparable technical field with hands on knowledge on business models, ERP, BRP, CAD/CAM and other related fields will be considered in hiring a Business Engineer. According to PayScale, the average yearly pay for a Business Engineer is $67,429. The total pay varies from $35,479 — $83,845 based on salary and bonus. If you enjoy engaging in business as an Engineer, career path you are seeking is Business Engineer.

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst is a person who helps businesses to analyze their processes, products, services, and systems to improve current condition and make profitable decisions through business analysis. Business analysts are responsible for connecting the gap between IT and the business. BA is also accountable for identifying requirements of each and every stakeholder related to business domain by interacting with them and for engaging relevant stakeholders in the requirements elicitation process. Business Analyst does not engage directly in finding solutions for arising technical problems but it is their duty to help the technical team in avoiding problems due to lack of correspondence between their work and needs of stakeholders. So, a Business Analyst is expected to perform an excellent job in bridging technical team and stakeholders. A professional business analyst plays a big role in moving an organization toward efficiency, productivity, and profitability. Moreover, a business analyst job description typically includes creating a detailed business analysis, outlining problems, opportunities, solutions for a business, budgeting and forecasting, planning and monitoring, variance analysis, reporting and documentation, defining business requirements and reporting them back to stakeholders and negotiating conflicts among stakeholders during elicitation. There are various classifications for titles and roles of a business analyst like business process analyst, business systems analyst, business operation analyst, depending on the business domain and project goals.

This position usually requires a bachelor’s degree at the minimum with an understanding about related fields such as Business Engineering, business Administration, management and Information Technology. According to salary.com the average Business Analyst salary in the United States is $77,434, but the salary range typically falls between $69,536 and $86,509. If you enjoy analyzing data, creating solutions, working with a variety of people and have sound knowledge on information technology, a career as a business analyst could be for you.

What are the future trends of Business Engineering?

Business Engineering together with Artificial Intelligence (AI) will define the future of business domains. Artificial intelligence has begun to increase its footprint in almost every field. Business engineering also has cross paths with AI to provide better products and services to the customers. At present generative design applications automatically optimize CAD designs to best fit the functional definition even including how it will be manufactured. One important subset of AI, Machine Learning algorithms help businesses to analyze large amounts of data, identify patterns and predict outcomes. In manufacturing, AI solutions can make the production process more efficient and enable autonomous maintenance and upgrades. Use of AI in Business Engineering will save time and money by automating and optimizing processes and increase productivity and operational efficiencies. Both AI and Business Engineering are emerging technologies so, their union will take sometime to fully enter the world but it’s sure that the change they are bringing to any business domain will be enormous.

In the business engineering paradigm, a business is viewed as a complex system of structures and processes that can be engineered to strengthen business performance.

Hope you enjoy the article and have grasped an idea of business engineering. Thank you very much for reading !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Isuruni Rathnayaka

Introduction to Business Engineering was originally published in SESA-UOK on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Are you passionate about cutting edge technologies that drive the world forward? if the answer is yes, then this article is for you. Today I’m going to give an introduction to the fascinating world of data science that acts as the force behind some of the latest technologies and concepts such as artificial intelligence. So without further ado, let’s dive into the world of data.

Data may look boring, but the things you can do with them are not.

What is Data Science, and what’s the importance of it?

With the evolution of information technology, the modern world has started to create massive amounts of data (also referred to as big data) every day. And that is expected to grow larger and larger every day. According to IDC, worldwide data will reach 175 zettabytes by 2025. Data science is the field of study that focuses on making use of this ever-growing amount of data.

To put it simply, data science is the art of making use of data.

Data science in action

We discussed what data science is and why we need it. let’s now find out about different applications of data science in various industries. Following are some of them.

Retail

Retailers must correctly predict what their customers desire and then deliver. They will most likely fall behind the competition if they do not do so. Retailers may use data scientists to get the insights they need to keep their customers pleased and coming back to their businesses.

Medicine

Data science is being used extensively in the medical industry to improve health in a variety of ways. Take, for example, the usage of wearable trackers to offer vital data to physicians, who may then utilize the knowledge to improve care for their patients.

Data analytics can also be used to keep track of a patient’s health and alert them to take the steps to avoid diseases. Data scientists use sophisticated predictive analytics to detect chronic diseases at an early level.

Transportation

People are always in a need to reach their destinations on time. Data science and analytics can be used to increase the chances of successful journeys thus saving people’s time. For example, statistical data can be used to map customer journeys and provide people with personalized transport details.

Media & Entertainment

Nowadays data science is frequently being used to understand media and entertainment content usage patterns in real-time. With data science tools and techniques, Companies can produce and recommend better content for various target audiences. Almost all famous entertainment and social media sites such as Youtube, Netflix, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram use these methodologies to provide a better experience to their customers.

Finance

Financial firms, as is well known, are data-driven, and data science is the ideal tool for obtaining actionable insights and ensuring the long-term success of financial institutions such as banks. Risk assessment, monitoring fraudulent behaviours, and customer analysis are just a few of the applications of data science in the finance industry.

Careers in Data Science

As we’ve seen, data science is in high demand across a wide range of businesses. Organizations around the globe hire data science professionals to solve various kinds of business problems using data. As a result, the opportunities that are available for such personals are nearly endless. There are different kinds of career paths available for someone who’s pursuing data science. Following are a few examples of those.

Data Scientist (Average Salary: $139,840)

A data scientist’s duties include Finding, cleaning, and organizing data for companies. Data scientists are able to analyze large amounts of complex raw and processed information to uncover patterns that will assist a company make smart business decisions.

Machine Learning Engineer (Average Salary: $114,826)

A Machine Learning Engineer’s job requirements include creating data funnels and delivering software solutions. They often need strong statistics knowledge and programming skills, as well as knowledge in software engineering. They are responsible for designing, building and testing Machine Learning systems. Nowadays Deep Learning which is an advanced version of machine learning has become very popular. Because Machine Learning/Deep Learning are the main technologies utilized in AI, ML Engineers are in higher demand than ever.

Data Engineer (Average Salary: $102,864)

Data engineers build and maintain data pipelines that create a robust and interconnected data ecosystem within a company, making information accessible for data scientists. They are also responsible for processing gathered and stored data.

Business Intelligence Developer (Average Salary: $81,514)

Business intelligence (BI) developers create techniques to help business users easily discover the data they need to make better business decisions. They employ BI tools or design custom BI analytic solutions to help end-users understand their systems.

Data Analyst (Average Salary: $62,453)

Data analysts transform and modify big data sets in order to meet the needs of firms’ analyses. Data analysts also help organizations’ decision-making by generating reports that effectively explain patterns and insights gathered from their research. They excel at using spreadsheet programs, query languages, data visualization tools and many other applications to get their job done.

The amount and value of data grow every day, and organizations in the twenty-first century are always attempting to unleash its potential, making data science a good career choice. If you are interested, now is the best time to start a career in data science.

With that, I’m ending my article. Hope you all got some knowledge about this interesting field of study that contributes massively to the betterment of organizations and people around the world. I will see you with another article in the future. Until then Goodbye & Stay Safe!

Further Readings

1. What is Data Science and its Importance in 2021 by Simplilearn
2. 11 Industries That Benefits the Most From Data Science by Nancyseby
3. Data Science in Healthcare- 7 Applications No one will Tell You
4. 11 Data Science Careers Shaping Our Future by Kelsey Miller
5. Data Science Applications In Various Industries by Sandra Durcevic
6. Top 8 Reasons Why Data Science Jobs Are in Demand by Tanya Oberoi
7. Understanding the Relationship Between Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-Pasan Devin Jayawardene-

The Science of Data was originally published in SESA-UOK on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Whether you prefer console or pc, multiplayer or single-player, or whether if you are a noob or a pro, every gamer out there has thought of making their own game at some point.

But developing a game is not a piece of cake. It’s a process that is achieved by a great deal of dedication, much effort, tears, and a lack of sleep. Kind of like finishing a Dark Souls game. However, for the passionate, all of the effort and sleepless nights become worth it once you see the final product launched and being enjoyed by others.

Why should you consider a career in game development?

Video game development is a great career choice if you are a skilled developer who is passionate about making video games. In many cases, you are working as part of a team, and it can be very satisfying to work with other talented people to create something that (hopefully) will be financially successful, critically applauded, and enjoyed by players.

But choosing this path is a double-edged sword. The Game Development industry in Sri Lanka is still not quite up to a favorable amount. So the opportunities will be scarce when trying to build a career out of it here in Sri Lanka. (In contrast to the rapidly growing video game industry in more developed countries.)

However, there are some great companies here in Sri Lanka that focus on Game Development. For example, Motion Miracles and Arimac. I highly recommend following their amazing projects.

Learning Curve

You cannot become a Game Developer by slacking off and playing games all day. Just like everything else in life you have to learn persistently in order to succeed.

Software Engineering degree program at the University of Kelaniya is one of the few places you can specialize in Game Development. In addition to learning about Software Engineering, you get the opportunity to study Digital Gaming and Animation Applications as a domain.

Game Platforms

PC

Most computer games are PC games. The game is controlled using PC input devices such as the keyboard, mouse, joystick, etc. PCs are not designed specifically for gaming, so there may be differences running the same game on different hardware. The openness provides developers with benefits such as lower software costs, improved flexibility, improved creativity, emulation, creation of modifications, open hosting, etc.

Console

A console game is played on a home console, a specialized electronic device that usually connects to a television. It often comes with a specific game controller.

Home consoles are specifically designed to play games using a dedicated hardware environment, giving developers a concrete hardware target for development and assurances of what features will be available, simplifying development compared to PC game development. Usually consoles only run games developed for it. Major console platforms include Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo.

Mobile

Mobile gaming has become a significant gaming platform since the introduction of smartphones and tablets built on the iOS and Android operating systems.

These games have the utility to embed unique features of mobile devices that are not necessary present on other platforms, such as accelerometers, global positing information, and camera devices to support augmented reality gameplay.

VR

The application of a 3D artificial environment to computer games is known as Virtual reality (VR) gaming. They generally require players to use a special head-mounted unit that provides stereoscopic screens and motion tracking to immerse a player within a virtual environment that responds to their head movements.

Here’s a multiplayer Virtual Reality Educational Platform, developed by
Upulanka Premasiri, a former Software Engineering student at University of Kelaniya.

Game Genres

Here are some of the games created by the Software Engineering students of University of Kelaniya.

First-person Shooter

The first-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games. The game is centered on the gun and other weapon-based combat, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the player character in a 3D space.

Open World

Open-world video game is a genre of gaming where a player can roam freely through a virtual world and is given considerable freedom in choosing how or when to approach objectives.

RPG Action

A role-playing game (RPG) is a genre of video game where the gamer controls a fictional character that undertakes a quest in an imaginary world.

Action RPG games are mostly focused on the combat aspects rather than the narrative. Battles usually occur in real-time, and the player frequently controls a single character rather than a party.

Simulator

Games that mimic or simulate aspects of real life are known as simulation games.

These games focus on operating businesses, building cities, flying airplanes, car racing, performing medical procedures, etc.

Top game engines

Unreal Engine

One of the most popular and widely used game engines is the Unreal Engine, which is owned by Epic Games. It is essentially a game development multi-platform engine designed for businesses of all sizes that help use real-time technology to transform ideas into engaging visual content.

Unity

Unity is a multi-platform game engine that allows you to create interactive 3D content with ease. This gaming engine is the choice of many large organizations today due to its excellent functionality, high-quality content, and ability to be used for any type of game. It supports both 2D and 3D content.

GameMaker: Studio

GameMaker has become widely used because it doesn’t require programming knowledge to use. Instead, users can “point-and-click” to create games much faster than coding with native languages. Some of the best titles made with GameMaker include Spelunky, Hotline Miami, and Super Crate Box.

Amazon Lumberyard

As evident by the product name, Lumberyard is Amazon’s comprehensive offering. This is a 3D game engine designed to build games and fan communities. It offers VR preview mode, visual scripting tools, and also Twitch integration. Integration through Lumberyard means it’s significantly easier to build games with online play. It has good native support for C++, P2P, and client topology. Lumberyard also supports Autodesk Maya and Adobe Photoshop.

So where should you start?

The best way to succeed in any profession is constant practice. So go ahead and choose a game engine you like, then get on coding.

Maybe you can start by creating a cool indie game like this one.

Game Development 101 was originally published in SESA-UOK on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The world faces new challenges day by and therefore is in a continuous adventure of seeking solutions for those problems. This adventure not only causes innovations but also creates new knowledge and career areas. Today I’m going to discuss one of those challenges the world faces and how it led to a whole new knowledge area emerging.

You may already know what field of study I’m going to discuss today (If not please read the title of the article twice😉 ). HI is one of the rapidly growing industries which already have high demand all around the world. My main target today is to give you an overview of what is health informatics and what kind of learning and career opportunities you have in this interesting domain of knowledge.

The flow of this article will be as follows,

1. The need for health information systems
2. What exactly is HI and how it became a major area of study?
3. The practical examples of HI and how it improves the quality of the healthcare industry?
4. Learning opportunities in HI
5. Career opportunities in HI

What is the need for information systems in the healthcare industry?

We all know that data acts a major role in the modern world. And technological advancements have caused significant improvements in managing the ever-increasing amount of data. That is no exception for the healthcare industry. The need for better healthcare systems is growing day by day as we face many health-related challenges frequently.

Modern healthcare systems need new methods and techniques to manage the vast amount of healthcare data that is being created every day. There must be ways to store, process and transmit those data in order to make better use of them thus making the patients’ as well as healthcare workers’ life much easier.

What exactly is HI?

“Medical informatics is the intersection of information science, computer science, and health care” -Michigan Technological University-

Health Informatics is a specialized field that is aimed at improving the quality of healthcare with the advancements of modern technologies. It expands into a very popular field of study after computer technology became capable of managing large amounts of data.

Health informatics was not a recognized topic until the 1960s. “The American Society for Testing and Materials(ASTM)” introduced the very first standards for healthcare data reporting. That included standards for “laboratory message exchange, data content, and HIS security”. Ultimately, global standards we introduced as well, transforming health informatics into the complex and ever-evolving discipline that it is today.

The Impact of Health Information Systems on healthcare around the globe

As I previously mentioned, the field of Health Informatics is all about improving the quality of the healthcare industry. The hard work of the people who were involved in this field has made it a reality. The better communication systems between the healthcare workers, nurses and doctors have helped them not only to combine their expertise to provide the best care to patients but also to improve their techniques and processes. These systems were also able to reduce the cost when sharing health data. Sharing and Analysis of health records and other patient details have never been more effective before.

Following are some practical usages of health informatics.

1. Electronic Medical Record (EMR): EMR replaces the paper version of a pateint’s medical history. An EMR includes more health data, test results, and treatments than in the paper version. It’s also built to share data with other electronic health records, allowing other healthcare providers to see a patient’s medical information.
2. Practice Management Software: Designed to maximise the efficiency of medical facilities. Can be used to schedule and track appointment times, manage billing cycles and organize patient information.
3. Master Patient Index (MPI): Connects separate patient records across databases. Used to reduce data redundancy and inaccurate patient records.
4. Patient Portals: an online website that gives patients access to their health data such as medical appointments, medications and lab results. You can be in control of your health data by using your patient portal.
5. Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM): Allows patients to collect and send patient-generated health data (PGHD) to healthcare professionals using mobile medical devices and technologies. RPM is commonly used to assist patients who require chronic, post-discharge or senior care.
6. Clinical Decision Support (CDS): Assists healthcare clinicians in making clinical decisions by analyzing data from multiple clinical and administrative systems. The information can aid in the preparation of diagnoses or the prediction of medical events.

Now that we know about what is health informatics and its impact on modern healthcare systems, let’s find out about the learning and career opportunities available in the ever-evolving field of Health Informatics.

Learning opportunities

If I were to list out all the courses, programs and other opportunities in HI all around the world, I will not be able to finish this article for a long time. So instead I thought of giving you some insights about what facts you should consider when choosing your degree or learning opportunity when getting into HI. Then I will take one degree program as an example from the thousands of opportunities and describe the learning experience. The example I’m going to take is the same degree program that I’m currently following (Trust me, I did my research before choosing my degree. It’s one of the best places out there😊).

According to Walden University following are the core skills a degree program on HI should help you to learn.

1. Utilize health information technology for knowledge management.
2. Identify issues related to the implementation of the electronic health record.
3. Apply the systems development life cycle approach to the utilization of health information systems.
4. Describe key legal, regulatory, and ethical issues related to the utilization of health information technology.
5. Apply information technology to improve healthcare quality.
6. Contribute to strategic and tactical planning in utilizing health information systems.
7. Articulate the organizational needs and readiness for the adoption of health information technology solutions.
8. Apply concepts of leadership in managing organizational change.
9. Describe key financial indicators related to the utilization of health information technology in an organization.
10. Recognize the language, terminology, ontology, acronyms, coding, and classification systems of healthcare and health informatics.
11. Identify the applications of statistical software to support evidence-based research and evaluation.

I highly recommend any degree program that focuses on the above-mentioned aspects to get your educational qualifications for HI (learn more).

The Software Engineering (Bsc Hons) degree program offered by the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka is One of the best examples for that. A student who’s enrolled in this program can choose HI as one of their specialized areas to study. The program focuses not only on theoretical and practical aspects but also on industry standards and ethics to produce the best employees and entrepreneurs in the HI industry. One of the specialities of this program is that it guides you to learn all the cutting edge technologies in HI such as Medical Imaging and Biomedical Signal Processing. Especially if you are a Sri Lankan, I highly recommend this program to start a career in HI as it is one of the very few opportunities available in Sri Lanka(More Info).

Now let’s find out what kind of career opportunities available in HI.

Career Opportunities and demand for the Health Informatics field

Following are a few of the most demanded health informatics careers available in the industry.

1. Clinical Informatics Analyst: Clinical informatics analysts compile and evaluate health data, then use the results to enhance patient outcomes by modifying their organization’s practices, processes, and workflows. On average a CI Analyst earns around $89,000 per year.
2. Health Informatics Consultant: Their role is to provide advice to the company on any informatics-related issues, difficulties, and initiatives. Organizations that are undergoing a digital transformation or do not have an internal informatics staff frequently hire health informatics consultants. Their average salary is around $103,000 per year.
3. EHR Implementation Manager: A professional with extensive experience in building, installing, and optimizing software that manages electronic health records. Their annual pay averages at $105,000.
4. Health Information Technology Project Manager: Project managers who focus specifically on health informatics related projects. Their duties include initiating, planning executing, monitoring, and closing the projects. They make an average of $107,000 each year.
5. Chief Medical Information Officer: An executive in charge of overseeing all of an organization’s health informatics initiatives and patient records. They are responsible for drafting and implementing strategic plans for the organization’s long-term IT infrastructure. They earn an annual salary of $138,000 on average.

As you can see from the above examples, The field of Health Informatics is not only an interesting area to study but also a highly demanding career area to pursue(learn more). We can only assume that demand will grow rapidly in the future.

I hope you all gained some knowledge about this interesting field which is making a huge impact on many people’s lives.

After all, The main goal of technology should be improving itself as well as people’s lives.

I will see you with another interesting article in the future. Until then, Goodbye and stay safe!

-Pasan Devin Jayawardene-

Introduction to Health Informatics was originally published in SESA-UOK on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.