Three solutions for improving embedded software development environment

　　 Most of the time, the development team is scrambling to meet the deadlines and launch product features . in general , In different industries and companies of different sizes , There are still ways to benefit most teams . The following is my list of embedded developers in 2022 Three solutions at the start of the year .

　　 Solution #1 – Using unit test tools

　　 Testing embedded software is a key part of every product development cycle . Embedded software developers often spot check their software , But there is usually no appropriate testing tool to help automate regression testing .( obviously , This varies by organization , It may even depend on the type of product being developed ).

　　 In the last few years , Software development process tools have made a great leap forward , Even the smallest embedded software team can benefit . Testing tools and even continuous integration are no exception , Testing tools provide developers with the ability to perform automated regression tests , To ensure that the code works as expected and that no new additions interact with existing code .

　　 If you or your team are not using testing tools , So it may be a good solution to use testing tools this year .

　　 Solution #2 – Reduce debugging time

　　 Many embedded software engineers like the challenge of debugging software , For them , This is challenging and rewarding . Given the complexity of today's embedded systems , Debugging is necessary , However, the time spent in commissioning shall be minimized . The code you write should work , But that's not the case , So embedded developers then spend a lot of time rewriting , Until it does what it should do .

　　 There are many investigations , The average developer spends about 40% Time to debug , This is equivalent to an annual cost of nearly 4.8 Work months for commissioning ! Change the number from 40% Reduce 10% To 30% , Will save per developer per year 1.2 Work months ! Restoring debugging time can reduce project costs 、 Help the team deliver on time 、 Reduced stress and numerous other benefits .

 

　　 If you find yourself or your team spending a lot of time debugging , So this year, learn how to avoid it and learn the right skills , To minimize the time it takes to complete debugging .

　　 The resolution #3—— Review and improve your processes

　　 There are usually two types of teams . The first process is too little , This prevents them from providing consistent 、 The ability to produce high-quality results . Second, there are too many processes , This reduces their speed and flexibility , And it's almost impossible to accomplish anything . The key to continued success has always been a balanced approach , Allow repeatability but keep the flexibility and adaptability of the embedded development team .

　　 In the New Year , Take a moment to think about what processes exist and whether they need to be modified . Is there still 10 or 15 Years ago, blindly follow the process that may no longer be applicable ? Can you simplify them to improve speed , While still maintaining its original intention ? Maybe there are too few processes ? Where to add processes to ensure that key steps in development are not ignored ? Which areas are always in short supply and lead to recurring headaches 、 Schedule delays and lost productivity ?

　　 Conclusion

　　 The new year is a great time to reflect on past successes and failures and to chart a new course . Year after year , We often tend to put the burden on how we build the system , Sometimes , This burden leads to adherence to good best practices , Sometimes they will bring bad results to the project . In today's article , We studied several common solutions that embedded developers can make this year to improve their software development environment . What specific things do you want to change this year to improve the way you develop software ?