Real-World Software Dev: Beyond Uni Coding

Generated from prompt:

Make a presentation about "Introduction to Real-World Software Development" Farid Bangash – Hands-on Fractional CTO & Engineering Lead 🟦 Slide 1 – Title (1 minute) What you say: Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for joining today, and thank you to the University of Greater Manchester for inviting me. My name is Farid Bangash. I work as a hands-on Fractional CTO and Engineering Lead. Today, I want to talk to you about real-world software development — how software is actually built in industry, not just how we learn it in books. 🟦 Slide 2 – Who Am I? (2 minutes) What you say: I have been working in software development for over 15 years. During this time, I have worked with startups and growing companies. I’ve helped teams take an idea, turn it into a product, and then scale it for real users. I still write code myself, but I also lead teams and make technical decisions. Today’s talk is not about my career. It’s about helping you understand what to expect when you enter the software industry. 🟦 Slide 3 – What Students Think vs Reality (3 minutes) What you say: Let me start with a simple question. Many students think software development is mostly about coding. In reality: You don’t work alone Requirements change You work with many people And problems are often unclear Coding is important, but it is only one part of the job. (Pause, smile) Real software development is messy — and that’s normal. 🟦 Slide 4 – What Is Real-World Software Development? (3 minutes) What you say: Real-world software development is about solving problems. A company has a problem. Software is just the tool to solve it. You don’t write code to show how smart you are. You write code to help users and businesses. This is a big mindset change after university. 🟦 Slide 5 – Roles in a Software Team (4 minutes) What you say: In real companies, software is built by teams, not individuals. You will usually work with: Software engineers A tech lead or engineering lead A product manager Designers QA testers Cloud or DevOps engineers Everyone has a role. If one role fails, the whole system suffers. Software development is a team sport. 🟦 Slide 6 – Agile Working (4 minutes) What you say: You may hear the word Agile a lot. Agile simply means: Working in small steps Getting feedback early Improving continuously Agile does not mean: No planning No structure Chaos Good teams plan carefully, but they accept that change will happen. 🟦 Slide 7 – Journey: Idea to Product (5 minutes) What you say: Let’s look at the real journey of software. It usually starts with: A problem Or an idea Then: A small first version (MVP) Users give feedback Bugs are found Features change After launch, the work does not stop. Maintenance is often more work than building. 🟦 Slide 8 – What Changes After University (3 minutes) What you say: At university: Assignments have clear questions Deadlines are known Marks are the result In industry: Problems are unclear Deadlines move Users complain Bugs affect real people This can feel stressful at first — and that’s normal. 🟦 Slide 9 – Coding in the Real World (3 minutes) What you say: In real jobs: You read more code than you write You fix bugs more than build new features You work on old code written by others One important rule: Write code for humans, not just computers. Your future teammate should understand your code. 🟦 Slide 10 – Common Mistakes (4 minutes) What you say: I see many junior developers make the same mistakes: Over-engineering simple problems Not asking questions Ignoring communication Focusing only on technology, not the problem Asking questions is a strength, not a weakness. 🟦 Slide 11 – Skills That Really Matter (4 minutes) What you say: Programming languages change. What stays important: Communication Problem solving Debugging Teamwork Learning fast A good developer is not the one who knows everything — but the one who can learn quickly. 🟦 Slide 12 – How You Can Prepare Now (4 minutes) What you say: You don’t need to wait for graduation. You can: Build small projects Work in groups Learn Git Do internships Read real code Focus on understanding, not memorising. 🟦 Slide 13 – Your First Job (2 minutes) What you say: In your first job: You are not expected to know everything You are expected to learn Your attitude matters a lot Be curious. Be humble. Be reliable. 🟦 Slide 14 – Key Takeaways (2 minutes) What you say: To summarise: Software development is about solving problems Teamwork matters Communication is critical Learning never stops University gives you the foundation. Industry teaches you reality. 🟦 Slide 15 – Q&A (15–20 minutes) What you say: Thank you for listening. I’d now like to open the session for questions. You can ask about software development, careers, teams, or anything else. (Smile, relax, encourage questions)