The 12 Most Important Skills to Look for of Every ASP.NET Developer

One of the most important things to understand about ASP.NET is that not all developers are created equally.

At a bare minimum, any development partner you choose needs to possess the ability to design screens that are A) user-friendly, and that B) allow you to interact with data in a database in an easy, intuitive way. But they also need the ability to communicate - that is, they must be able to understand a client's specific needs so that they can then translate that into software that works and solves the client's problems.Tackling both of these things at the same time is often somewhat easier said than done.

All of the best ASP.NET developers are considered to be "full stack" developers - meaning that they can do multiple different types of development jobs, all of which contribute to ultimately solving your problems. Finding someone who can bring with them all of these ASP.NET developer skills isn't necessarily difficult - but it does require you to keep a few key things in mind.

The Most Important ASP.NET Developer Skills to Be Aware Of

1. Good at gathering requirements. 

   As stated, any ASP.NET development partner you choose to work with needs to be good at not just gathering and documenting your needs, but truly understanding them as well. They need to be able to quickly get a sense of not just what you're trying to do, but why that's so important - all so that they can come up with a solution that is custom built to meet those needs moving forward.

2. Good user interface design skills.

   As a result, they need to be able to look at the requirements and design both screens and a workflow between those screens that makes sense given the data represented on them. The programmer should have user interface design skills and graphic design skills to be able to successfully marry these two ideas together.

3. Skilled at gathering requirements.

   Of course, they also need the ability to translate your specific requirements into programming logic - a tall order, to be sure. This means taking your user requirements and translating them into something that functions the way you need it to. To put it another way, they need to be able to move from a written requirements document to a programmatic solution, more specifically, the ability to write code that actually solves your problem.

4. Experience with JavaScript and all necessary front-end technologies.

   A good ASP.NET developer should also have the ability to work with JavaScript and even newer front-end technologies like React and Angular.

5. Ability to interact with a database.

   They should have the experience necessary to architect a database using best practices such as designing in 3rd normal form. They also need to be able to write code to retrieve and store data in a database and build complex database queries on demand.

6. A developer must be excellent at debugging and resolving problems.

   Oftentimes this requires detective-like skills, along with the ability to debug and resolve problems using the Visual Studio IDE (Integrated Development Environment). Fixing bugs is part of every software project and any partner you choose needs to be able to work within that realm.

7. Communication is king.

   ASP.NET programmers also need to have excellent communication skills, something that is itself a big part of how they'll be able to interact with clients and respond to issues that come up throughout the software development project lifecycle.
   
   

8. Understanding API documentation inside and out.

   APIs (Application Program Interface) are software interfaces that allow two applications to talk to each other even if they are using different technologies. A good analogy is an electrical plug and a wall socket. ASP.NET programmers should also have the ability to understand API documentation in a way that allows them to write code needed to pass data to and from those APIs. This itself is a big part of how your new solution will be able to successfully integrate with other systems. Integration itself is particularly important, as this is a big part of how you'll break down those data silos that probably exist across your enterprise and even outside your enterprise. It makes sure that the people who need critical information to do their jobs actually have it, thus allowing them to make better and more informed decisions all the time. Without integration, you're only making it harder for your employees to work - and more difficult for them to create exceptional experiences for your clients.

9. Bringing third-party tools to the table.

   Along the same lines, any quality ASP.NET developer should be able to leverage third-party tools to both reduce your costs and to improve the user experience as well. A knowledge of tools like Telerik is of paramount importance to that end.

10. Harnessing the power of the cloud to your advantage.

    Especially these days, many clients are also requiring that their applications be developed in the cloud to have the scalability and reliability needed for today’s applications. Therefore, experience with writing ASP.NET web applications with cloud technologies such as Microsoft Azure will be extremely helpful.

11. Addressing the modern-day security climate.

    Having said that, ASP.NET programmers also need to be able to understand the security threats for an application within this environment - allowing them to architect a system in a way that maximizes security at the exact same time. Programmers must be aware of the types of attacks that hackers employ to break into database from web front ends, such as SQL injection attacks, and put safeguards in place to prevent them from happening.

12. All else fails without collaboration.

    Finally, a quality ASP.NET developer must have the ability to work on a collaborative environment with other developers. Those team members, coupled with you as the client, need to all be on the same page and moving towards the same goal at all times. If a programmer is cranky, moody, doesn’t like to hear constructive criticism, has poor communication skills, has a big ego or isn’t a team player, it’s going to drag the whole team down. Programmers must collaborate to succeed, period!

With all of that in mind, it's important to understand that programmers with these skills are highly sought after - that's because they deliver a tremendous amount of value to the companies they serve. Custom software development companies with these types of talented individuals are the best to partner with when building and maintaining your modern IT systems.

Finding all of these skills within just a single programmer isn't just unrealistic - in a lot of situations, it's downright impossible. For example, you will almost never find a good programmer who is also a good graphic designer. The two skills use different sides of the brain. That's why having a team of programmers is always the better choice. If one person doesn't have all 12 of these skills, multiple team members likely will - all of which guarantee that your software development is of the highest possible quality and that the ultimate performance of your application is everything it needs to be.

In the end, most companies (including your own organization) have the need to do custom development work as they implement their unique IT systems that allow their businesses to run more effectively and competitively - and ASP.NET programming is a very valuable skillset to have to that end, to say the least.

However, having all of the skills outlined above - while important - isn't necessarily realistic when they're considered within the context of a single individual. Every programmer brings their own unique benefits to the table, and finding someone that encompasses all of these qualities isn't something you should spend too much time worrying about.

This underlines the importance of finding an ASP.NET development company to partner with you on your next big project. By finding an ASP.NET development company, you can check all 12 of these ever-important boxes by way of a team of people who are dedicated to all of the same goals that you are.

If your current ASP.NET developer doesn't necessarily have all of these 12 special skills, you shouldn't necessarily hold it against him or her. But when you consider how high the stakes are - meaning that the application that you're developing may literally form the basis of the competitive advantage your business will depend on for years to come - it becomes clear that an alternative solution is needed. More often than not, that means seeking out the help of a seasoned ASP.NET development team - which is a step you should take sooner rather than later.

To find out more information about our ASP.NET software development outsourcing capabilities, or if you’d like to discuss your ASP.NET needs with Keene Systems CEO, Lance Keene click here to book a call with him. You can also download our great new eBook - Why ASP.NET Development Services Fuels Business Growth - to learn more about this essential topic.