10.07.2015
stable|kernel, an Atlanta-based mobile software development company that specializes in mobile planning, strategy, design and development, today released its “Empowering Mobile Developers in 2015 Data Report,” providing insights into managing and working with development teams. Mobile development is increasingly critical to keeping pace with consumer demand. In fact, mobile media now accounts for 51 percent of consumer’s screen time, according to eMarketer. The new report from stable|kernel arms enterprises and small businesses with the information they need to make smart hiring and vendor selection decisions and also empower their development teams to produce their best work.
From July 9 to September 9, 2015, stable|kernel conducted a global survey of 497 mobile developers from North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Key findings include insights into the training, preferences and goals of developers worldwide.
More than 60 percent of mobile developers are self-taught.
While this statistic shows the grit and determination of the industry, further probing into team dynamics and resources needed showed that education is the source of some of developers’ major pain points.
“Without formal, consistent and standardized education, developers often do not learn the most efficient techniques, and their methodologies vary as a result,” said Joe Conway, CEO of stable|kernel. “With such variation in skillsets, it’s difficult for employers to know exactly what qualifications to prioritize over others, making it challenging for developers to partner effectively.”
85 percent of mobile developers prefer native development, and most are not working on IoT projects.
Despite the buzz around hybrid technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT), most developers in this study have yet to be fully immersed in these solutions. In fact, 80 percent of developers have not worked on IoT projects, such as wearables and smart devices.
Mobile developers believe in the power of technology to build a better world.
When asked what problems they want their developments to solve, respondents cited educational barriers, access to technology, healthcare, government inefficiencies and businesses processes.
“With more demand for mobile development than trained developers to fulfill that demand, it’s a pivotal time in the mobile industry,” said Conway. “We conducted this study to help paint a picture of the people who work in mobile development – what’s working well for them and what’s not – so that we can streamline processes and create efficiencies. What we found is that, despite working in an ever-changing tech environment, age-old business challenges like effective collaboration and clear communication are still fundamental.”
stablekernel.com
