JCSE 10-year review Chairperson: JCSE at Wits University I am honoured to have been involved with the JCSE since its inception, first as a patron and later as Chairperson of the Board

JCSE 10-year review

Improving performance

Supporting transformation

Encouraging innovation

Developing skills

Building capacity

Promoting investment

JCSE 10-year reviewObjectives



Encouraging innovation

Developing skills

Building capacity


The Joburg Centre for Software Engineering

The Joburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE) is a three-way partnership between government, academia and industry. Based at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), the JCSE is multifaceted with various programmes and facilities that position it as a focal point of the ICT industry in South Africa and the rest of the continent.

The JCSE strongly supports the City of Johannesburg’s developmental priorities, which sees Joburg becoming a world-class Smart City with service delivery and efficiencies that meet global best practice. It supports this goal by promoting best practice in software development in an African context, growing the country’s capacity to deliver world-class software, and developing research and training initiatives to strengthen the local software development industry.

Its objectives are as follows: Improving performance: promoting international best practice in software engineering within an African context. Promoting investment: establishing a business-friendly environment that attracts investment in the local ICT industry. Supporting transformation: aligning with the objectives of the ICT Charter to create new leaders and encourage the growth

of SMMEs in the sector. Encouraging innovation: applied research, technology incubation and IP development. Building capacity and skills: educating experts to lead Africa’s software development sector.

1Time lineA 10-year conversation with industry 22

Table of contents

Assessing JCSE performanceImproving performance 24Building capacity and skills 28Promoting investment 34Supporting transformation 36Encouraging innovation 38

Looking to the futureMaking an impact on the sector 42The road ahead 44Partnering with the JCSE 45

CongratulationsIntroductory messages 2Looking back at the first decade 6Testimonials 12

Mark Harris – Kagiso Media (Chairman) • Barry Dwolatzky – JCSE • Ian Jandrell – Dean: Engineering and the Built Environment, Wits University • Jannie van Zyl – Vodacom •

Duncan Raftesath – Wits Enterprise • Fernando Moreira – FNB • Fazel Mayet – Psybergate • Sean McLean – IBM • Themba Khumalo – dti • Vumani Mangali – City of Joburg •

Zolani Matebese – City of Joburg • Clifford de Wit – Microsoft

Board members

2

JCSE 10-year review

Message from the DirectorProf Barry Dwolatzky

This first decade has seen the JCSE grow from a concept to a sustainable and strategically significant organisation. In preparing this special 10-year review, the JCSE team has reflected on its journey over the past 10 years. An attempt has also been made to look towards the future.

Between 1999 and 2001, I participated in the South African Information Technology Industrial Strategy (SAITIS). It highlighted the huge potential and importance of the local IT industry. It also drew attention to the following key challenges: shortage of skills, poor performance with respect to the delivery of software projects on time, within budget and of sufficient quality, the high cost and inadequate speed of internet access relative to other countries, the structure of the

local IT industry, and the poor representation within the industry of women and previously disadvantaged individuals. It was with these challenges in mind that I developed a strategy that led to the launch of the JCSE on 15 May 2005.

While some of these challenges still remain, I can honestly say that the JCSE has made a positive contribution to most of the key challenges listed in the SAITIS Report. However, there is still a great deal that needs to be done to ensure that South Africa’s critically important IT industry reaches its true potential. It is with this in mind that I am now ready to set my sights on what needs to be achieved by the end of our second decade.

Prof Barry Dwolatzky Director: JCSE at Wits University

It is with a great sense of pride that the JCSE celebrates its 10th anniversary.

3

Councillor Amos Masondo, former Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg (right), and Prof Loyiso Nongxa, former Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Wits University, signed the JCSE Founding Charter on 15 May 2005.

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SIGNING THE FOUNDING CHARTER

4

The JCSE’s current standing as a voice of authority in the local ICT sector is due to its significant contributions to developing international best practice in software engineering, building capacity and skills, attracting investment, supporting transformation and encouraging innovation.

Among its most recent achievements is the establishment of the Tshimologong Precinct, an exciting initiative to build an innovation hub in the heart of the city. Tshimologong will provide an enabling space for our country’s most creative young minds to develop the new-age digital technologies that have come to underpin economic and

social activities worldwide. It is also set to play a central role in the University’s plans to revitalise Braamfontein.

By fostering global excellence in a field such as software engineering that has significant local relevance, the JCSE is furthering one of the central mandates of Wits University. I know that it will continue to make an enormous impact by responding to the fast-changing trends of the global software engineering industry, ensuring that our local industry reaches its full potential.

Prof Adam HabibVice-Chancellor and Principal: Wits University

I am delighted to be able to congratulate the Joburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE) on its 10-year anniversary. As one of the co-founders of the JCSE, Wits University has taken great pride in seeing the JCSE grow from strength to strength over the past decade.

JCSE 10-year review

Message from the Vice-Chancellor and PrincipalProf Adam Habib

5

For the past year, the JCSE has had to balance multiple requirements, such as maintaining the best of breed in software engineering in South Africa, and establishing the Tshimologong Precinct.

It was also an exciting year for the roll-out of industry- and government-supported programmes, such as the IBM Research Laboratory. Such support ensures the sustainability of projects, and enhances its impact on innovation and business incubation.

The JCSE is a key enabler in facilitating collaboration and networking between partner institutions and government, and has become

a critical cog in enterprise development in the IT and the media sectors. It creates huge opportunities for capacity building and job creation, and also provides access to education and skills. With the development of the Tshimologong Precinct, the JCSE will be able to provide even greater support in setting up new businesses and developing the skills that are required to be successful.

It is with gratitude that I acknowledge the invaluable support of Wits University, which enables the JCSE to meet its objectives.

Mark Harris, CEO: Kagiso MediaBoard Chairperson: JCSE at Wits University

I am honoured to have been involved with the JCSE since its inception, first as a patron and later as Chairperson of the Board.

JCSE 10-year review

Message from the ChairpersonMark Harris

6

the philosophy and practice of “Agile” development have never been far from its agenda. One of the first major activities hosted by the JCSE in 2005 was a visit to South Africa by Kent Beck, one of the signatories of the “Agile Manifesto”. In this manifesto, released in 2000, Beck and the other founders of the Agile movement set out a number of principles that have profoundly influenced the way software is developed in organisations both large and small.

While firmly embracing and promoting Agile development, the JCSE also formed a close partnership with the Software

Agility“Agility” is a concept that has played a pivotal role in shaping both what the JCSE does and how it is structured. In terms of what the JCSE does, “Agile” is a word

that has dominated the discipline of software engineering both in South Africa and the rest of the world for more than a decade. As the JCSE has emerged as one of South Africa’s major authorities on software engineering practice,

Engineering Institute (SEI) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in the USA. Through this partnership, and with financial support from the South African Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), the JCSE embarked on a strategy to “bring CMMI to South Africa” in 2006. Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) is a process improvement model developed and supported by the SEI. In the minds of many people involved in software development, the JCSE’s decision to support both Agile and CMMI appears to be contradictory. Some see Agile as anti-process and therefore anti-CMMI.

Since its establishment in 2005, the JCSE has made great strides in positioning itself as a major role-player in the South African ICT industry. Looking back at the first decade of its existence, a number of words can be used to characterise its short history. Three words can, however, be singled out to effectively describe its remarkable success and continued relevance in the future. These are its “agility”, “sustainability” and “impact”.

JCSE 10-year review

Looking back at the first decade

JCSE 10-year reviewPHOTOS ALBUMS

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Album - The launch of the JCSE in 2005

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Looking back at the first decade JCSE 10-year review

The JCSE has never supported this adversarial version of the relationship between Agile and process improvement. It believes that these two approaches can – and must – work together. In 2009, the JCSE expanded its partnership with the SEI, promoting the adoption in South Africa of Personal Software Process (PSP) and Team Software Process (TSP) methods. These can be seen as a practical way of merging the philosophies at the heart of both Agile and CMMI.

“Agility” is also important in the way the JCSE describes the type of organisation it believes itself to be.

Things change rapidly in the ICT industry. One only has to think of the way in which “digital” now underpins and dominates social, economic and industrial activities throughout the world. Since the dawning of the “Information Age” in the late 1950s, South Africa has made significant contributions to ICT innovation and to the global pool of professional skills.

The JCSE was founded at Wits University in 2005 in response to some of the opportunities and challenges faced by South Africa’s ICT industry. Five goals were listed in its Founding Charter. A decade later, each of these goals is still relevant. South Africa’s ICT industry continues to need more high-level skills. It still needs to attract more young people, more black people and more women. It also still needs to adopt best practices and methods that will ensure that South Africa’s ICT remains world class and globally competitive.

Over the past 10 years, the JCSE has certainly made a significant contribution to the ICT industry in South Africa. This report elaborates on some of the JCSE’s achievements in response to its five key goals. It is important, however, to position these contributions within the broader context of the fast-changing local and international ICT industry. In responding to the rapid changes in the ICT industry, the JCSE has had to be an agile organisation. Its staff members

have had to work hard over these first 10 years to ensure that the organisation remains relevant.

By constantly revisiting the five key goals in an effort to interpret them in different ways, the JCSE believes that, as an Agile and responsive organisation, it has succeeded in doing this effectively.

Sustainability The JCSE was founded on the principle of sustainability. As co-founders, both Wits University and the City of Johannesburg decided that the JCSE would not receive ongoing financial support. It was decided that the JCSE should develop the capacity to generate sufficient income to become self-sustainable.

While the management of the JCSE has embraced this requirement, it has resulted in some interesting consequences.

The first of these is a very positive consequence. The fact that the JCSE has

9

Agile Africa 2014 focused on the impact of agile development, and emphasised the JCSE’s support of this approach to achieving better performance.

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AGILE AFRICA 2014

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Looking back at the first decade JCSE 10-year review

survived and – indeed – thrived for a decade is in many ways due to this requirement to be self-sustainable. Many similar organisations depend on regular injections of external funding. If such funding is reduced or terminated, for whatever reason, the organisation struggles to survive.

A second, less positive consequence of the self-sustainability model is that it makes it very difficult for the organisation to grow.

As a non-profit organisation, the JCSE has found – over the past 10 years – that very little surplus is generated. Income and expenditure have been closely aligned. This has meant that it has never been able to create a “strategic reserve”. If one views the JCSE as a start-up, it has not been able to fund its growth via its own resources or the sources normally available to other start-ups, such as venture capital or borrowing. As part of Wits University, the JCSE cannot sell equity or enter into agreements in its own name.

The only source of funding to support growth has been grants or donations from government or the private sector. These sources of funding are typically once-off, difficult to secure, unpredictable and complex to administer.

A third consequence of having to be self-sustainable is that the JCSE has remained a small and efficient organisation. It maintains a very small staff and generally runs a “tight ship”.

Impact For an organisation as small as the JCSE, receiving as little external support as it does, the impact it has made over this first decade is enormous. While it could have done better at measuring, analysing and reporting on this impact, there are some objective measures of the JCSE’s success.

One measure is its highly regarded reputation in the local and international software

engineering industry. There is ample evidence of the high profile the organisation has acquired. This was endorsed when Prof Barry Dwolatzky, Director of the JCSE, was named joint winner of the prestigious South African IT Personality of the Year Award for 2013/14.

A far more important measure of the JCSE’s impact is the effect it has had on literally hundreds of individuals. The JCSE has assisted individuals and organisations in the South African ICT industry – and beyond – in reaching their true potential. In this way, it has left an indelible mark on the industry and the country.

In conclusionThe most important and positive thing that can be said about the JCSE as it enters its second decade as an organisation is that it has a very high chance of surviving and being relevant for another 10 years and more.


11

Album - Tshimologong Precinct

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Testimonials JCSE 10-year review

“The JCSE was instrumental in affording me the opportunity to advance my knowledge in software engineering. This not only gave me the boost I needed professionally, but academically as well. I enrolled in the JCSE’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme, which helped me develop the business and management skills I needed to advance in my career. It also provided the bridge to do my master’s degree in Engineering. I am busy finalising my PhD, which would not have been possible without the access to tertiary study provided by the JCSE. This enabled me to achieve academic and professional excellence.”

Imtiaz Abdul KaderHead of Integration and DeliveryStandard Bank South Africa

“During my tenure as CEO of the South African Electrotechnical Export Council (SAEEC), the JCSE formed a strong partnership with the Council to proactively promote the South African software sector both locally and internationally. The JCSE has been instrumental in building the sector through numerous programmes over the past ten years, in particular, the Tshimologong Precinct, providing the “reason to believe” that South African companies are partners of choice. I greatly appreciate the JCSE’s support, dedication, enthusiasm and extensive knowledge. I trust that this important initiative will continue to go from strength to strength.”

Eileen LeopoldFormer Chief Executive OfficerSAEEC

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“My first interaction with the JCSE was in 2013 when I was selected to participate in the JCSE’s Internship Programme. I had already done a Java programming course and was working as an IT technician when I was awarded a scholarship to complete a training programme at Van Zyl & Pritchard in Johannesburg.In 2014, I was appointed as a software developer on the JCSE’s Hi-Mat Unit, and received PSP and TSP training under the mentorship of TSP coach John Goble. I can really commend the JCSE for the way it can take people with limited experience like myself and turn them into software developers.”

David Makhaphela Software developer JCSE

“The Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA) has had a close working relationship with the JCSE for most – if not all – of the ten years of the JCSE’s existence. This positive collaboration has promoted the growth of ICT professionalism in the country. This partnership has also been instrumental in the advancement of skills creation in the software engineering industry and in the broader ICT space. We are proud to be associated with the JCSE and congratulate the Centre on ten very successful years. We also look forward to playing an important role in the development and transformation of the sector.”

Tony ParryChief Executive OfficerIITPSA


14

Album - Roundtable discussion 2015

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“My journey with the JCSE began in 2010 when I was selected to participate in CoachLab@JCSE as a postgraduate student. After CoachLab, I joined the JCSE as a junior project manager. I am passionate about empowering the youth and a highlight for me was being involved in the launch of the ImpaCT Schools Programme. I would like to see more women in IT, and through ImpaCT, we are able to support transformation, particularly as far as gender repesentivity is concerned, by exposing the youth to IT and technology. CoachLab also plays an important role in providing graduates with the skills they will require when they enter the world of work.”

Xoliswa Mahlangu Manager: CoachLab@JCSE and ImpaCT Schools Programme

“The JCSE has been a fountain of inspiration. Its Internship Programme has introduced an opportunity for sourcing future talent into our resource pool. There are often courses that are very supportive of my role, notably the Breaking through the System Development Performance Barrier Programme. I am looking forward to participating in the focus groups that were discussed in the course with other people in similar positions as myself. It is critical that Wits University’s software development support is aligned with the JCSE’s commitment to quality in software development.”

Luci CarosinAssistant Director: ICT Business Solutions, Wits University

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“I have been involved with the JCSE since the launch of the pilot TSP adoption programme in 2009. With the assistance of the JCSE, Nedbank was one of the first companies to successfully pilot TSP and undertake an organisational roll-out of the method. The bank now uses TSP in appropriate software development projects to manage and track quality. The JCSE is always available for support and assistance, and plays an important role in developing talent and skills in South Africa. It is also a central hub for local conferences, seminars, webinars, presentations and ad hoc knowledge sharing.”

John BourhillSEI-certified TSP coachNedbank (Group Technology)

“FNB was one of the founding partners of the JCSE. Prior to my appointment as CIO at FNB, I enrolled in the JCSE’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD)Programme in Software Engineering. The insight I gained from experts in both academia and the industry allowed me to introduce system development life cycle concepts into FNB, which completely reinvented management processes at the bank. As CIO, I intend to continue building strategic parnerships with the JCSE. We are particularly excited about our involvement in the development of the Tshimologong Precinct, and joining the JCSE in making an impact on the local ICT sector.”

Mohammed HassemChief Information OfficerFirst National Bank

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Considering the JCSE’s achievements over the past decade are (from left): Prof Barry Dwolatzky (JCSE), Tony Parry (IITPSA), Mayank Naik (KPMG), Imtiaz Abdul Kader (Standard Bank) and Tony van der Linden (BBD).

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ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION

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Stakeholders in the IT industry who have contributed to the JCSE's development over the past 10 years look back at its achievements.

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ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

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We undertook the collaboration many years ago because of the major focus the JCSE placed on supporting job creation in the IT sector.

In South Africa, and across the African continent, the JSCE has highlighted the robust future of our youth and its capacity to grow the ICT sector. Its

scholarships, internships and programmes have all firmly empowered young software developers with the tools to impact on the sector, the country and even the world.

With the development of the Tshimologong Precinct in Braamfontein, the JCSE will again rally us all to respond

to the challenge of building a cosmopolitan, diverse and non-racial environment. With this development, which is set to revitalise inner-city Johannesburg, we will support Wits University in establishing a non-threatening space in which students can live, work and play by opening IBM’s second Research Lab on the African continent in the Tshimologong Precinct.

The IBM Research Johannesburg Lab is gearing to develop breakthrough technologies that address national priorities and Africa’s grand challenges by transforming key industries and infrastructures.

It will develop big data analytics, mobile and cognitive technologies, such as next-

generation infrastructure, digital urban renewal and health care. It will promote South Africa’s and Africa’s global leadership in science and technology by collaboration with local universities and research institutions. Importantly, it will act as a “Living Lab” to foster local African innovation, which is important for South Africa’s and Africa’s economic growth and international competitiveness.

This initiative can only be successful in the context of an innovation ecosystem that includes start-ups, entrepreneurs, universities, research institutions, industry and government.

We look forward to a long and exciting journey ahead.

As a founding collaboration partner to the JCSE, IBM congratulates Prof Barry Dwolatzky and his team on the success of the first ten years.

JCSE 10-year reviewPartnerships PLATINUM

JCSE 10-year review

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Partnerships PLATINUM

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MicrosoftVirtualAcademy.com

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FNB Core Technology Solutions is a platinum sponsor and has been in support of the JCSE from the onset. As CEO of Core Technology Solutions, I am thankful for our partnership and very proud to be part of the JCSE’s ten-year anniversary celebration.

Lasting partnerships are underpinned by four fundamental pillars: trust, mutual respect, communication, and shared values and vision.

A partnership is not self-contained and it does not happen by accident.

A contributing factor to the success of our enduring partnership includes our shared undertaking of the JCSE’s values, vision and goals.

FNB Core Technology Solutions is a central IT service provider within the FirstRand Group, supplying IT services and solutions to our internal business units. Our partnership with the JCSE is a mutually beneficial undertaking. With the assistance of the JCSE, we have grown and enriched our human and intellectual capacity. The impact of the JCSE’s success reaches far beyond our direct employees and their families.

The JCSE has contributed to the IT industry by facilitating

continued education, world-class expertise, and knowledge transfer that has a positive impact on our country’s economic development. The JCSE can be very proud of the growth it has achieved during the past ten years.

On behalf of Core Technology Solutions and FNB, I would like to extend our sincerest congratulations to the JCSE on reaching this prestigious milestone. We thank you for the opportunity we have had to partner with you over the years, and we offer our best wishes for your continued success.

Fernando Moreira, CEO | FNB Core Technology Solutions

The JCSE is recognised for its partnership between government, academia and the industry that sparks various endeavours to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.

JCSE 10-year reviewPartnerships PLATINUM

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A 10-year conversation with industry JCSE 10-year review

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23

A 10-year conversation with industry JCSE 10-year review

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Sout

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bec

omes

a m

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wel

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of

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ll 26

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s to

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and.

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ent

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into

an

agre

emen

t with

th

e St

ate

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rmat

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Tech

nolo

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genc

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to N

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rmat

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gy P

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ssio

nals

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h A

frica

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PSA

).

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JCSE

join

s th

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sear

ch A

frica

Net

wor

k on

Info

rmat

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Tech

nolo

gy P

olic

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AN

ITP)

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h-m

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mol

ogon

g Pr

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ct in

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Str

eet,

Braa

mfo

ntei

n.

24

JCSE 10-year review

Assessing JCSE performance

When the JCSE was launched in 2005, a number of goals were set. Having reached the end of the first decade, it seems appropriate to perform a self-assessment and issue a “report card” on how the JCSE has performed against each of these goals.


Promoting best international practiceAn important milestone in the history of the JCSE in terms of promoting international best practice in software engineering within an African context has been the partnership with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), one of the leading international centres of ICT research and practice.

This partnership enabled the JCSE, with the support of the CMU’s Software Engineering Institute (SEI), to bring international best practices, such as Capability

XGRADE: Significant contributionThis goal has been the major focus of the JCSE over its first decade. From the outset, the JCSE promoted the view that Agile and process improvement were not opposing principles. With support from the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), the JCSE launched a programme to “bring CMMI to South Africa”, followed by an initiative to create “high maturity” software development units. Although these initiatives significantly raised awareness in the South African ICT sector about process frameworks (such as CMMI) and best-practice methodologies (such as TSP), adoption has not proceeded beyond a few companies. The JCSE has also hosted activities around Agile and Software Engineering Methods and Theory (SEMAT). The JCSE brought both Kent Beck and Ivor Jacobson to South Africa.

25

JCSE 10-year reviewAssessing JCSE performance Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), People Capability Maturity Model (P-CMM), Team Software Process (TSP) and Personal Software Process (PSP) to South Africa. The implementation of these models and methodologies led to South African developers achieving high-quality, on-time and on-budget software development projects.

Since 2006, the JCSE has been piloting CMMI and People CMM in South Africa by sponsoring the training and certification of local trainers, consultants and appraisers. With the support of the dti, it has been able to promote CMMI and People CMM on a large scale. The State Information Technology Agency (SITA) was the first large government agency in the world to make use of People CMM, together with all three CMMI constellations (Development, Services and Acquisition).

A number of organisations in the public and private sector have since embarked on the journey towards CMMI implementation, with the JCSE as training partner.

Dr Bill Nichols of the CMU’s SEI provides training to TSP coaches at Nedbank as part of the JCSE’s process improvement programme.

26

JCSE 10-year reviewAssessing JCSE performance The interest in adopting this process improvement model has been sparked by the JCSE’s decision to move away from a silo-based approach that focuses on implementing a specific framework or methodology, and embark on an exciting outcomes-driven best-practice approach of performance improvement. Altech Isis is one of the companies that has achieved very good results with this initiative, and has consolidated its processes and is rolling them out according to the CMMI model.

Establishing high-maturity software development unitsThe JCSE initiated the adoption of TSP as a software development methodology in South Africa in July 2009 with the launch of a pilot TSP adoption programme. This programme received funding from the dti and involved training software development teams at Nedbank (Group Technology) and Dariel Solutions. JCSE staff members were also trained to provide TSP training and coaching as part of a national roll-out.

Following the successful completion of the pilot, Nedbank took a strategic decision to adopt TSP as its software development methodology. The subsequent roll-out of the project led to the bank running a growing number of TSP projects, and training over 400 developers in PSP.

The adoption of TSP and PSP methodologies to support process improvement has also led to the JCSE coming up with an innovative concept called “high-maturity (Hi-Mat) software development units”.

These are units within an organisation that are set up to apply mature, disciplined engineering practices that produce secure, reliable software in less time and at lower costs. It does this by helping organisations grow self-directed teams that plan and track their work, establish goals and own their processes and plans.

The JCSE continues to encourage companies to improve their business performance by improving their processes, while connecting the previously isolated industry in South

In 2014/15, the JCSE continued to embrace both Agile development and process improvement. The second Agile Africa conference was hosted in Braamfontein in August 2014 and built on the success of the 2013 conference. The JCSE also led South Africa’s involvement in the SEMAT initiative. SEMAT aims to re-found the discipline of software engineering. In March 2015, the JCSE notched up a major success in its process improvement programme. With support from the JCSE’s CMMI team, Altech Isis formally achieved a CMMI Level 3 maturity rating.

XUPDATE

Africa with the rest of the world by importing global standards and practices and assisting local companies and government to adopt them.

27

JCSE 10-year reviewAssessing JCSE performanceDiscussion forumsWelcome to the forums

Category: Improving performance Post Author

Rensia Hendricks, Senior IT Manager, Nedbank

John Goble, Process Coach, JCSE

Chris Rathebe, TSP Coach, Nedbank (Group Technology)

Alfi Motlokoa, Nedbank (Group Technology)

“I came into contact with the JCSE during the CMMI and TSP/PSP training that was presented at my company, and have a great appreciation for the knowledge-sharing that takes place in programmes of this nature.”

“Since my introduction to the JCSE in 2009, I have become a PSP-certified developer, TSP-certified coach and PSP-authorised instructor. I am working in a field that I really enjoy, and am helping people improve themselves. All this is thanks to the JCSE.”

“As a TSP coach, my interaction with the JCSE was as training partner, sponsor and TSP collaborator. My experience of the JCSE was of committed partners and trainers, consistent communicators and making Braamfontein come alive by bringing diverse stakeholders together.”

“I am a system analyst at Nedbank and came into contact with the JCSE when I received TSP training during the TSP rollout at the bank. I appreciated the way they provided all the relevant technological information that I needed to understand the system.”

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JCSE 10-year reviewAssessing JCSE performance

Building capacity and skills

Enabling the future generation to pursue a career in ICTThe JCSE has launched a number of interventions over the past decade to promote capacity development among learners, students, graduates and working professionals.

The ImpaCT Schools Programme, which was launched in 2012, aims to encourage learners with the prerequisite aptitude to choose subjects that will enable them to study software engineering, computer science, information systems or information technology after matric. Learners from township schools are invited to spend two weeks in the June and December school holidays learning about software development and working on projects. Mentors offer additional support to improve learners’ academic performance and prepare them for university.

XGRADE: Fully achievedOver the past decade, the JCSE has made a significant contribution to the growth of high-level skills in the local ICT sector. Initiatives such as the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme, CoachLab@JCSE and the Internship Programme have impacted on the industry as a whole and have given many individuals new opportunities to succeed in their careers. Master classes, conferences, forums and other activities have created unique learning and growth opportunities for local professionals by exposing them to South African and international thought leaders.

29

JCSE 10-year reviewAssessing JCSE performanceThe JCSE’s Internship Programme is aimed at youngsters with matric or some tertiary qualification, who are interested in pursuing a career in software development. The JCSE sponsors these candidates to undergo the necessary training that will give them a greater chance of securing employment. One of the initiatives launched over the past few years was a skills development and job creation programme in the banking sector in partnership with Accenture and the Mentec Foundation. This accelerated training regime resulted in the placement of successful candidates as software developers.

CoachLab@JCSE is a nine-month leadership development programme that aims to provide work-readiness skills and work experience to all participants through “soft-skills” training, industry certifications and mentorship by industry sponsors. The programme aims to bridge the gap between the academic and business environment. Participants are developed into leaders in their field, through stimulating, action-learning projects where they are given real challenges in the actual workplace, while being encouraged to apply innovative thinking to deliver solutions that truly add value.

Participants in the JCSE’s Internship Programme have gone on to become fully-fledged software developers.

30


Category: Building capacity and skills Post Author

Elton Nkgadima, Test Analyst, FNB

Philsni Mhlophe, Rheo Systems

Steven Nhlapo, South African Airways

Luis de Sousa, Business Analytics and Intelligence, Syeop

“I attended the JCSE’s CPD Programme in 2014 and believe that this training enabled me to develop a good skills set that I am able to use to the benefit of my career advancement.”

“I came into contact with the JCSE when I wanted to further my studies in software engineering, and was impressed with the regular conferences and seminars that are held that enrich students in the software engineering field.”

“I was fortunate enough to participate in CoachLab@JCSE in 2012. My experience of the JCSE was that it provides a platform for learning and innovation. It also provides an environment that links the work environment and varsity, which is critical for first-time employees who have no experience outside of the classroom.”

“I commend the JCSE for its great training programmes.”

31


CoachLab@JCSE is a partnership with the Innovation Hub in Pretoria, the JCSE, the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA), Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA), the Gauteng Provincial Department of Economic Development, the Jobs Fund, the local ICT sector, Wits University and the University of Johannesburg, which brings together a number of sponsoring companies.

It has not only played an important role in turning students into work-ready graduates, but has succeeded in empowering a significant number of young black South Africans as they move into the ICT

industry. The challenge now is to enhance the gender diversity of the future generation of software development specialists.

Since it was launched in 2009, participants (all postgraduate students) have received training in soft skills (time management, presentation skills, conflict management and teamwork) with the focus of developing future leaders. Graduates benefit from workplace exposure with some of the best companies in the industry. As a result, they leave the programme with the knowledge, experience, tools, discipline and confidence they need to make their mark in the dynamic, fast-moving ICT sector.

Turning students into work-ready graduates

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JCSE 10-year reviewAssessing JCSE performanceWhat sets the programme apart from others is the fact that it includes a shared experiential project in which students work together to identify and work on solutions for an IT-related problem in industry. The focus of this project is to integrate students into the workplace. Recent projects have included the development of an innovative captioning system for the Johannesburg Planetarium, the development of a Mortuary Management System for the Forensic Pathology Service Unit of the Gauteng Provincial Department of Health, the development of a Matchmaking System to bring jobseekers and employers together, and the design of a tool for teaching accountancy (known as Cash Cow) for an independent client.

Once they have completed the shared project, students undergo a six-week internship with an industry partner, in which each student is tasked to develop a solution to a company-specific project, assigned by the individual sponsor. All this is done while the student completes a postgraduate university degree in an ICT-related discipline.

The CoachLab@JCSE group for 2015 are developing a tool for teaching accountancy as their shared project for an independent client.

33


With its establishment in 2005, the JCSE identified the need to grow the pool of highly skilled and formally qualified software engineers who are capable of filling senior positions in the ICT industry. These software engineering specialists require both a strong theoretical foundation and an ability to apply this theory in practice.

The JCSE’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme in Software Engineering is a two-year part-time programme presented by staff of the JCSE and Wits University’s School of Electrical and Information Engineering, as well as industry experts. It aims to grow the skills of working professionals who have 10 years’ experience or more, but may not have any post-matric qualifications. It is open to ICT professionals who are aiming to fill positions in ICT management, software architecture and design, or leadership roles in software project teams.

In 2014/15 the JCSE’s “skills pipeline” continued to grow some of the skills needed to sustain and develop the local ICT sector. The “skills pipeline” consists of the ImpaCT Programme, aimed at school learners, the Internship Programme, the Microsoft App Factory, CoachLab@JCSE, the CPD Programme and the Professional Certificate in CIO Practice. Over the past year, each of these activities ran at full capacity, touching the lives of nearly 200 individuals.

XUPDATE

Another initiative of the JCSE is its Chief Information Officer (CIO) Practice Programme, presented in collaboration with the Learning Information Networking Knowledge (LINK) Centre and other entities at Wits University. This multidisciplinary certificate programme is aimed at people aspiring to fill the role of CIO.

The ideal CIO is someone with a combination of strong technical, business and leadership skills. The programme covers a mix of topics that deal with issues relating to technology, strategic management, business and human capital management processes, and ICT policy.

One of the graduates of the CIO Practice Programme, Qiniso Langeni (CIO at Denel Dynamics), feels that it was a real eye-opener. It enabled him to build symbiotic realtionships with fellow participants through the networking opportunities that the programme offers.

Continuing professional development promotes the growth of the industry

The JCSE also hosts a number of forums and events during the course of the year to ensure that stakeholders and professionals in the ICT industry are kept abreast of the latest developments in the sector, and to provide networking opportunities.

34


XGRADE: Contributions madeThe JCSE has limited ability to achieve this goal. Efforts have been made to disseminate positive information about the industry and to support government and industry efforts to promote the sector. Highlights over the past 10 years have been participation by the JCSE in international inbound and outbound trade missions, supporting the South African National Pavilion at the CeBIT Trade Fair in Hannover, Germany, and the production of an excellent 15-minute video showcasing the sector. A lack of sector-wide coordination has, however, reduced the impact of these interventions.


Attracting investment in the local ICT industryOne of the JCSE most vital goals in support of government’s National Development Plan is establishing a business-friendly environment that attracts investment in the local ICT industry. Through the support of its partners, it is able to engage in initiatives to promote the South African ICT sector internationally.

As early as 2009, it pursued this goal by working in partnership with the dti and the South African Electrotechnical Export Council (SAEEC) to promote the sector nationally and internationally.

One of the vehicles to achieve this is its participation in the annual CeBIT Trade Fair in Germany. This is the key industrial fair of the digital industry. South Africa’s participation in this fair is organised by the dti, with support from the South African Consulate-General in Munich. It provides a huge opportunity for South Africa to demonstrate its innovative and vibrant ICT sector, and the JCSE plays an important role in this regard.

Other initiatives of the JCSE aimed at supporting the local ICT sector include the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Software Engineering Competency Centre (SECC) in Cairo, Egypt, in 2013, to pursue a common interest related to the value of process improvement methodologies in the African context. Following an initial visit by the JCSE to the SECC in 2012, the first joint project involved research on the topic and a joint conference held in 2013.

Click here to visit our website, www.jcse.org.za, for more information on investing in the local ICT industry.

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Category: Promoting investment Post Author

Category: Supporting transformation Post Author

Barry Myburgh, Project Manager, JCSE

Charlton Philiso, Senior Manager: Education & Training Quality Assurance, MICT SETA

Brady Kelly, Erisia Computer Solutions

“The JCSE is one of the SETA’s institutions of sectoral or occupational excellence (ISOE). This status is bestowed on institutions that constantly delivery quality programmes and innovative initiatives. It is bestowed on institutions that make a difference in our country through skills development. The JCSE met these stringent criteria with ease, and we are proud to have them as one of our ISOEs.”

“If I need to identify one thing about the JCSE, it’s the work they do … it’s that simple!”

“My journey with the JCSE over the past 10 years has been exhilarating. My consultancy, Insyte, was one of the founding members of the JCSE, and it has been exciting to be involved in a channel of professionalism in an industry that often places best business practice above best professional practice. This involvement has led to many opportunities for sharing and learning. These have included the early colloquium on the state of software engineering in South Africa, involvement in the CPD Programme, presenting master classes together with Prof Dwolatzky, and events such as Agile Africa, the Fak’ugesi Festival and the Hack Jozi Challenge. However, the most exciting phase in the JSCE’s history is only just starting: the establishment of the Tshimologong Precinct. What a privilege to be part of an initiative that is contributing to the future of South Africa. Thanks to Prof Dwolatzky and the JCSE for ten great years. Here’s looking forward to many more to come!”

36


GRADE: Significant

contributionThe JCSE has made a great deal of progress with respect to this goal. Programmes such as ImpaCT (for school learners), CoachLab@JCSE, the Internship Programme and the App Factory have all empowered a significant number of young black South Africans as they move into the ICT industry. However, more might have been achieved in attracting women into the sector. In 2014/15, progress began to be made in supporting women in ICT and positioning the JCSE to support the growth of SMMEs (via the Tshimologong Digital Technology Hub). The impact of these initiatives is still to be realised.


App Factory upskills the youth and promotes diversity in the sectorMicrosoft South Africa was one of the first companies to jump at the opportunity of partnering with the JCSE in the Tshimologong Precinct. With the establishment of the Microsoft App Factory in 2014, it became one of the first companies to occupy the new software skills development and innovation hub in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.

The Microsoft App Factory is part of Microsoft’s 4Afrika investment on the continent. Through this initiative, Microsoft is actively engaging in economic development in Africa to improve its global competitiveness.

The initiative is built on the belief that technology can accelerate growth for Africa and, in turn, Africa can accelerate technology for the world. The goal is to empower every African who has a great idea for a business or an application (App), and to turn that idea into a reality to help the community, the country, and even the continent at large.

In 2014, 20 young developers completed internships at the App Factory where they were trained to develop custom-made Apps for Windows 8, Windows Phone and Windows Tablet that are relevant and useful to South African users using the latest technology in cloud computing. All received a stipend while on the programme.

During the course of their 12-month internship, they gained valuable work experience, while developing skills and creating Apps that promote the Microsoft Windows platform. They also learnt to work according to deadlines, and gained project management skills that would benefit them when they enter the job market.

X

Click here to visit our website, www.jcse.org.za, for more information on the App Factory.

37

CONTENT FILTER

MICROSOFT APP FACTORY

Manager of the Microsoft App Factory at the JCSE, Leslie Price, is mentoring a group of developers to turn ideas into reality.

38


GRADE: Significant

contributionThe Annual ICT Skills Survey administered by the JCSE’s Applied Research Unit has become an important benchmark for the local industry. The Unit has also conducted other studies that have positioned the JCSE as a voice of authority in the local ICT sector. With respect to technology incubation and intellectual property (IP) development, foundations for significant impact have been established with the developments around the Tshimologong Precinct.

X Encouraging innovation

Setting up the Tshimologong PrecinctThe Tshimologong Precinct is an innovative new-age digital technology development and innovation hub in Johannesburg’s inner-city that is being developed as an initiative of the JCSE. This is the culmination of the JCSE’s objective to become the nucleus for software development on the continent, promoting best practice, tools and methodologies, combined with professional experience from the sector, to grow South Africa’s ability to deliver world-class software through research and training.

This exciting initiative, which is set to revitalise Braamfontein, is the logical extension of the JCSE’s role in partnership with the City of Johannesburg and Wits University. The Tshimologong Precinct project involves the renovation of five buildings, owned by the University, that cover half a city block. The aim is to create a combination of open-plan co-working areas with wireless connectivity for ICT start-ups, meeting and refreshment zones, computer laboratories, training rooms, creative content development environments, and administrative and infrastructure support offices.

Prof Barry Dwolatzky, Director of the JCSE, predicts enormous innovation in the ICT sector, specifically in the field of digital technology. The international trend is for technological innovations to result from spontaneous collaboration. Innovators need a creative space where they can work together in a multidisciplinary environment to develop their skills, generate ideas with like-minded individuals, and progress on a course of rapid innovation where elements of software development can come together and give birth to a program or unique application that can be developed into a viable business model and commercialised.

Click here to visit our website, www.jcse.org.za, for more information on the Tshimologong Precinct.

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CONTENT FILTER

TSHIMOLOGONG PRECINCT

IBM Research Laboratory joins the PrecinctThe Tshimologong Precinct has gained increasing recognition as a digital innovation hub with the construction of the IBM Research Laboratory in the Precinct. This development forms part of IBM’s 10-year investment programme in South Africa through the dti. IBM Research, the largest ICT research organisation in the world, currently has 12 very prestigious research laboratories across the world. The new lab in Braamfontein will be only the second IBM Research Laboratory to be built in Africa. The other one is in Kenya.

Once this lab is open, IBM researchers will work closely with Wits and other local universities, research institutions, innovation centres, start-ups and government agencies to enhance South Africa’s emerging innovation ecosystem and help develop next-generation technology skills. The lab will focus on advancing big data, cloud computing and mobile technologies. Researchers and partner institutions aim to develop solutions using computational modelling, the Internet of Things and cognitive systems to engage more effectively with citizens and help revitalise inner-city areas in South Africa and around the world. IBM’s state-of-the-art cognitive platform (called Watson) will be housed in the lab.

Its location in the Tshimologong Precinct will allow it to explore the role of advanced digital technologies in urban renewal. This includes exploring new approaches to addressing the needs of resource-constrained communities in South Africa and across the continent using big data analytics and cognitive computing to increase the efficiency, scalability and effectiveness of aspects such as health care. Contributions will also be made to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope project, which aims to answer fundamental questions about the origins of the universe.

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Researching the status, growth and development of the ICT sector

The JCSE’s Applied Research Unit, which was established in 2008, carries out research projects related to the status, growth and development of the ICT sector. Its objective is to underpin the JCSE’s activities by tracking strategic trends in the ICT sector, both locally and globally.

Since its establishment in 2005, the JCSE has sought to meet the need that existed in the country for applied research in software engineering so that decision-makers in the ICT sector could gain a better understanding of the environment, identify trends and make informed decisions. Through its activities, it also identifies areas in which research needs to be carried out, reports compiled, articles published and conference presentations delivered.

A core feature of the JCSE’s Applied Research Unit is the annual ICT Skills Survey, which has been conducted since 2008. The purpose of the survey is to determine the installed base of ICT technical personnel in South Africa, as well as the skills development needs and preferences of employers of ICT technical personnel in the country. It assists role-players in the sector to determine the exact extent of the ICT skills shortage, and the trends that are developing in response to the changing global environment.

“The JCSE is making a difference in the software industry in South Africa.”

– Clifford de Wit, Head: Development and Platform Team, Microsoft

South Africa

“Travelling from the USA to South Africa is a long journey for me, but so rewarding. My work with the JCSE has led me to meet so many amazing people in a vibrant, growing culture. It is truly a gratifying experience helping the JCSE to nurture the thrill of software excellence throughout South Africa and beyond.”

– Alan Willett, President, Oxseeker Inc, USA

“As a consulting engineer, I commend the JCSE for bringing global best practice and international experts to South Africa.”

– Mikkel Christiansen, Rheo Systems

“The JCSE is always ahead of tech.”

– Shirona Patel, Head: Communications,

Wits University

Industry opinion Industry opinion Industry opinion Industry opinion

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Joburg Centre for Software Engineering Tshimologong Precinct

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The JCSE’s Applied Research Unit notched up a number of successes in 2014/15. It completed the sixth Annual ICT Skills Survey. Research reports were produced on The cloud and SMMEs and The cloud and government. Work started on The history of the internet in South Africa, which will be a multimedia compilation of interviews, documents and digitised artefacts, produced in conjunction with Wits University’s LINK Centre. A major focus over the past year has been the ongoing efforts to establish the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein. As part of these efforts, the JCSE co-hosted the first Fak’ugesi Digital Africa Festival in August/September 2014.

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JCSE 10-year review

Making an impact on the sector

The JCSE is committed to embracing opportunities to support the South African ICT sector by ensuring that stakeholders and professionals in the industry keep abreast of the latest developments in the sector.

A number of top-class forums, events and training programmes are held during the year. Public lectures that attracted interest in 2014 included talks on functional programming, the new POPI Act, Agile software development, tax incentives for research and development, the Internet of Things, and breaking through the system development performance barrier.

Additional highlights in 2014 included the Agile Africa 2014 Conference and the Fak’ugesi Digital Africa Festival.

The second Agile Africa conference, co-hosted by the JCSE and ThoughtWorks, was held at the Tshimologong Precinct on 11 and 12 August 2014. The theme was reviewing the impact of agile development. Almost 250 delegates attended sessions featuring prominent figures in the Agile environment, such as Bennet Vallet, Director: Product Development, Siemens Health Services, Betty Enyonam Kumahor, Regional Managing Director of Pan-Africa for ThoughtWorks, and Bill Nichols, PSP instructor and TSP mentor coach at the SEI.

The inaugural Fak’ugesi Digital Africa Festival was held at the Tshimologong Precinct on 5 September 2014. It focused on positioning Braamfontein as the digital gateway between the City of Johannesburg, Africa and the rest of the world. Each event highlighted a different facet of digital technology, from software, hardware and networks to digital content and games. It attracted students, researchers and entrepreneurs with an interest in digital technology, and emphasised the important role that digital technology plays in Africa’s growth and development.


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Album - Events and conferences 2014

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JCSE 10-year review

The road ahead

“Growth” and “sustainability.” These are the two words that best describe the road ahead for the JCSE as it enters its second decade.

The programmes and activities outlined in this review give an idea of what has been achieved so far. Over the past 10 years, the JCSE has touched hundreds of lives and impacted on tens of organisations. However, if it is to genuinely meet its goal of making a significant positive contribution to the South African (and African) ICT industry, thousands need to be reached.

Growing the JCSE will require resources and organisational maturity. Many have been amazed at how much the JCSE has

achieved with so few resources. It has done this by keeping the organisation small and agile. Increasing the size and scope of its impact will require a larger, better-resourced organisation.

Without any doubt, the most important requirement in growing the JCSE and ensuring that it remains sustainable is access to sufficient resources. It will therefore need to attract or generate sufficient financial resources to fund this growth. The organisation also needs to be grown

by recruiting more talented and energetic people into the JCSE team.

The future growth and sustainability of the JCSE therefore depends on its stakeholders – individuals and organisations, academia, and the public and private sector – seeing value in what the JCSE has done in the past and what it can do in the future. If this value is appreciated and understood, it will be able to attract sufficient resources to rise to the challenges of its second decade.

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JCSE 10-year reviewPartnering with the JCSE

Platinum – R150 000 or more Gold – R75 000 Silver – R35 000

Bronze – R15 000

R213 G32 B45

R35 G31 B32

Become a Tshimologong Precinct Founding Partner Oganisations and individuals can support the renovation and refurbishment of the Tshimologong Precinct. Founding partners’ names and/or logos will be displayed in Founders Square.

Pledge your support

Corporate Founding Partner: R250 000 or moreSMME or Individual Founding Partner: R50 000 or more

These are once-off contributions that will be used to bring the Hub to life.

Become a JCSE PartnerSupport the JCSE’s exciting and innovative programmes by means of an annual contribution. Contributions are allocated to one or more of the JCSE’s programmes or activities. Partners receive a partner’s discount on all JCSE activities and are invited to partner-only events.

JOBURG CENTRE FOR SOFTWARE ENGINEERING45 Juta Street, Braamfontein Tel: +27 11 717 6390 Fax: +27 86 553 7128Email: [email protected] Website: www.jcse.org.za

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@JCSE_at_Wits

Documents

JCSE 10-year review Chairperson: JCSE at Wits University I am honoured to have been involved with the JCSE since its inception, first as a patron and later as Chairperson of the Board