Introduction
On Microsoft Build 2021, which ran through the 25th,26th, and 27th of May. Microsoft announced the bleeding edge technologies they brought to the market. From new IDE features, cloud environment updates, AI innovations, and many other interesting tech topics. Obviously, you can watch and learn the meat of these topics from the live and recorded sessions at the Microsoft Build website. However, I want to share six key insights shared by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella during his Keynote session.
The theme of claims and insights shared by Nadella revolves around how the Covid19 pandemic accelerated changes in the tech industry. Of course, I’ll share my personal reflections and thoughts as well.
Technology will double in Global GDP by 2030
One of the most impressive pieces of news shared by Satya Nadella is that technology will increase from 5% to 10% in Global GDP by 2030. And for those of you who do not know what GDP is, it is an economic indicator that measures the overall market value of products and services generated during a period. Explained in layman language means that technology products will create more double revenues for the overall economy during the next decade. That being said, I can clearly tell that significant economic growth will translate into more job opportunities for technology workers. Are you ready for that?
The digital transformation is happening much faster than expected
Nadella highlighted that the digital transformation we expected to happen in ten years is happening now. If you look around you, you will find so many events confirming so. Many employers started becoming more relaxed toward working from home. Many startups left their expensive city center offices and asked their employees to permanently work from home. And even some big traditional companies started encouraging hybrid work setups. Who expected that we will say goodbye to the public transport hassle?
The growth of developers at non-tech companies has gone faster than tech companies
Repeat it, “The growth of developers at non-tech companies has gone faster than tech companies.” Frankly speaking, this is was the most astonishing news for me during Microsoft Build 2021! How come these traditional non-cool companies absorb a higher percentage of developers than tech companies?
Does it make sense? When I started thinking and reflecting, I believe I can come with an interpretation -that I cannot claim anyway is scientifically proven- which is: These companies are paying a late debt for their technological retardation. For example, Traditional paper-based insurance firms started to see the importance of information systems when they could not print out their insurance claim to give a hand by hand to their customers. Therefore, there are ample opportunities for technology experts to sell their business cases.
Developing countries show the highest percentage of Github contribution growth during 2020
One the most exciting news is that many developing countries such as Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Turkey are in the top 10% contribution growth at GitHub during 2020. That statement from Satya Nadella has its synonyms in the economy. A report from PwC in 2016 highlighted that the shift of global economic power is one of five megatrends shaping our world. Could this growth in Github contributions from these countries be one of the signals of that shift?
Remote job postings for developers increased x8!
Another catching piece of information mentioned by Microsoft CEO is a finding from job posts statistics. As per LinkedIn, the remote developer job positions increased by x8 (800%). Clearly, Covid19 convinced employers that physical presence is redundant. Companies are seeking to both reduce costs and increase employee satisfaction by enabling remote work opportunities. This shift in trend is BIG for expatriates like me. It means that there will be more opportunities without even leaving our home countries. However, that can pose a threat to the expensive labor job markets that will face tougher competition from foreign talent. Let us how the legislators will deal with it!
Low-code/no-code is a big deal now!
Low-code/no-code development platforms allow enterprise/citizen developers to rapidly develop a drag and drop UI applications. Thus, significantly reducing software development cost and time to market. PowerApps is one of the most famous low-code/no-code development platforms that Microsoft is heavily investing in. The growth of these platforms will pull the carpet from ordinary developers who used to make a living from those who create simple CRUD (Create, Retrieve, Update and Delete) applications. It is a must now for developers to upskill and learn to solve complicated problems that cannot be solved by Low-code/no-code platforms. Microsoft Build 2021 sessions describe a wide range of low-code/no-code developments. That being said, you will need to develop a holistic approach to your learning, Learn how to manage your career with these shifts!
Concluding thoughts
While Covid19 was definitely a curse for so many business sectors. It was not the case at all for the software industry. Businesses were forced to adopt digitalization to keep their living, opportunities exceeded rigid geographical boundaries, and a new global workforce aggressively entered the market. The future is exciting! Keep following conferences like Microsoft Build 2021 to understand the technology ship directions.
Academic disclaimer: The claims cited by Satya Nadella have not been independently verified by me.