These are the must-have skills for IoT developers:
- The ability to turn a complex system into a simple and intuitive solution
- Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills
- Good knowledge of different programming languages and frameworks
- Creativity, curiosity, and the ability to work in a team
Let us discuss each of these in detail below:
Must-Have Skills for IoT Developers
The ability to turn a complex system into a simple and intuitive solution
IoT applications are complex. They often include multiple sensors and devices, cloud platforms, and applications. These components need to interoperate with each other.
The user interface has to present the data in an easy-to-understand form. And the application also needs to be secure. You must be able to design, develop, and deploy a solution that is simple enough for non-technical users, while also being powerful and scalable.
Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills
IoT solutions are often deployed across multiple devices and platforms. You will need strong debugging skills to troubleshoot issues that crop up in remote locations. You will also need to troubleshoot issues related to devising connectivity, security threats, and performance degradation.
Good knowledge of different programming languages and frameworks
IoT applications are typically built using C/C++ or Java. However, you do not have to master these languages as there are many frameworks available (e.g., Arduino IDE, Node-RED, mBed) that can help you build IoT applications quickly. However, you must have an understanding of these frameworks and their capabilities so that you can build IoT solutions that meet real business needs.
Creativity, curiosity, and the ability to work in a team
IoT applications touch almost every business process of an organization – from customer experience/interaction management to supply chain optimization to manufacturing operations. You will need creativity to come up with innovative solutions for these processes.
You will also need curiosity – you will need to keep learning about new technologies, experimenting with them, and implementing them in your projects while remaining within budget constraints. Finally, you will have to work in teams – as IoT solutions involve multiple business stakeholders (e.g., marketing/sales teams, supply chain managers) as well as specialized teams (e.g., hardware engineers).
What Makes a Great IoT Developer?
The most common answer to this is: ‘someone who can solve real problems with technology.’ This means someone who is an expert in using hardware and software together to create something useful for other people (not just themselves). It’s someone who can focus on solving problems rather than just creating cool stuff that no one needs.
One manager compared it to the ability to write a good song: it’s not about the notes you play, but the notes you don’t play; not about how you make something work but how you don’t make it work; not about how many features you add but how many features you remove.
Another manager said: ‘a great IoT developer is someone who works out what’s needed from business requirements and then can translate those into technical requirements – someone who can see beyond today’s technology to tomorrow’s technology.’
