Skills Report: Top 5 Power User Skills for the Future

As the times change and the world is continually exposed to new technological advancements, conventional tech skills are also evolving and transforming into "power" skills.

In the past couple of quarters, iMocha’s skills intelligence platform registered an exponential increase in the demand for such ‘power user skills’ over conventional ‘tech skills’ that were previously deemed as the pillar of digitization across industries.

But what are ‘power user’ skills, you may ask?

By definition, a power user is an end-user expert in a specific computing domain. They typically have a more advanced grasp of using and/or operating standard computers or software than regular users. In the same way, power user skills refer to advanced technical skills that enable individuals to use technology tools and platforms more effectively and efficiently. These skills go beyond basic proficiency and involve a deeper understanding of the underlying technology and the ability to leverage its full potential.

Blog Summary (TL;DR)

• "Power user" refers to individuals with advanced technical skills beyond basic proficiency. These skills allow them to use technology tools more effectively and efficiently. Power-user skills offer benefits such as enhanced productivity, customization and optimization, self-sufficiency, innovation and creativity, and adaptability to new technologies.

• Based on the data from iMocha's Skills Intelligence platform, the top 5 power user skills that you’ll need to stay competitive in the future are:

1. Advanced Data Analysis Skills
2. Advanced Workflow Automation Skills
3. Advanced Cloud Computing Skills
4. Programming and Scripting Skills
5. Cybersecurity Skills

Benefits of Power User Skills

The significant spike in the assessment of power user skills on our skill intelligence platform can be directly linked to these benefits:

1. Enhanced productivity: Power user skills go beyond basic proficiency, enabling individuals to utilize advanced features and functionalities of technology tools. This allows for faster and more efficient completion of tasks, ultimately increasing productivity.
2. Customization and optimization: Power users can often customize applications and tools to fit their specific needs and workflows. They can automate repetitive tasks, create macros, or integrate different software systems, optimizing their work environment.
3. Self-sufficiency: Power users have the ability to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues independently. They can often handle complex tasks without relying on IT support, reducing downtime and increasing operational efficiency.
4. Innovation and creativity: Power users' deeper understanding of technology enables them to think creatively and find innovative solutions. They can push the boundaries of what tools can do and explore new possibilities, leading to improved processes and outcomes.
5. Adaptability: Power user skills are not limited to specific software or platforms. They provide individuals with a foundation to quickly adapt to new technologies and tools, making them more versatile and resilient in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.

In this month’s Skills Report, we take a deep dive into power user skills, and based on the assessment data from our platform, we talk about the top 5 power user skills that your organization will need moving forward into the future. Let’s get started!

Top 5 Power User Skills for the Future

1. Advanced Data Analysis Skills

With increasing digitization, the amount of data being processed is also increasing exponentially and demands advanced data analysis skills to skim through it and make informed predictions and decisions.

In today’s world of power users, proficiency in using advanced features of productivity suites like Microsoft Office or Google Workspace, including complex formulas in spreadsheets, automation with macros, and advanced presentation techniques, are popular, along with knowledge of tools like Excel, SQL, or Python libraries such as Pandas to manipulate and analyze complex datasets, perform statistical analysis, and generate insights.

Lately, iMocha’s skills intelligence noticed an increase in the usage of skills such as SQL concepts and queries, while open-source relational database management systems such as MySQL also remained popular as always.

The ability to create meaningful and visually appealing visualizations using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Python libraries such as Matplotlib, Seaborn, or Plotly is also in demand, along with knowledge of machine learning algorithms and techniques for predictive modeling, classification, regression, clustering, and natural language processing, and familiarity with libraries such as scikit-learn, TensorFlow, or PyTorch.

Here is an 'Attempts vs. Skills' graph that shows the most tested Advanced Data Analysis Skills on the iMocha platform:

2. Advanced Workflow Automation Skills

Advanced workflow automation skills for power users involve leveraging various tools and techniques to automate and optimize complex workflows. Here are some key workflow automation skills for power users:

1. Workflow Mapping and Analysis: Power users with advanced automation skills have the ability to analyze and map out complex workflows within an organization. They can identify areas for improvement, streamline processes, and optimize the flow of information.
2. Integration and APIs: Power users proficient in advanced workflow automation understand how to integrate different software applications and services using application programming interfaces (APIs). They can connect systems and automate data transfer or communication between different platforms.
3. Scripting and Coding: Advanced power users know scripting languages like Python, PowerShell, or JavaScript and can write custom scripts to automate tasks, create complex automation workflows and manipulate data across multiple systems. Based on the assessment data from iMocha’s Skill Intelligence platform, Python and JavaScript showed an increase of attempts by approx. 30% and managed to remain as one of the most popular coding languages for power users with advanced workflow automation skills.
4. Process Orchestration: Power users skilled in process orchestration can design and manage end-to-end workflows that involve multiple steps and systems. They can coordinate activities, manage dependencies, and ensure seamless execution of complex automated processes.
5. Data Transformation and Integration: Advanced power users can work with data in various formats and transform it as required. They have expertise in tools like ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes, data mapping, data cleansing, and data integration techniques.

Other advanced workflow automation skills include Error Handling and Exception Handling skills, Advanced Rule-Based Automation skills, Workflow Monitoring and Analytics, User Interface (UI) Automation (interactions within software applications using tools like Selenium, AutoHotkey, or UIPath), and Security and Access Control skills.

Here is an 'Attempts vs. Skills' graph for the most popular advanced workflow automation skills that were tested on the iMocha platform:

3. Advanced Cloud Computing Skills

Advanced cloud computing skills enable power users to leverage cloud platforms effectively, design robust cloud solutions, optimize performance, ensure security, and take full advantage of the scalability and flexibility offered by cloud technologies. Based on our skill intelligence platform’s data, the most popular cloud computing skills for the new generation of power users were:

1. Cloud Architecture and Design: The ability to design scalable and highly available cloud architectures that meet specific requirements, leverage appropriate cloud services, and optimize resource allocation.
2. Containerization and Orchestration: Proficiency in containerization technologies like Docker and container orchestration platforms like Kubernetes. This skill enables power users to deploy, manage, and scale containerized applications within cloud environments.
3. Serverless Computing: Understanding serverless computing concepts and experience working with serverless platforms such as AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, or Google Cloud Functions. Power users can develop and deploy event-driven serverless applications, reducing infrastructure management overhead.
4. Cloud Security and Compliance: Knowledge of cloud security best practices, data encryption techniques, access controls, and compliance requirements. This skill ensures power users can implement robust security measures and maintain compliance within cloud environments.
5. DevOps and CI/CD: Proficiency in DevOps practices and implementing continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines within cloud environments. Power users can automate application deployment, configure monitoring and logging, and ensure efficient collaboration between development and operations teams.

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4. Programming and Scripting Skills

Advanced programming and scripting skills empower power users to automate tasks, manipulate data, build applications, and solve complex problems in various domains such as data science, system administration, and web development. The skill intelligence data from the iMocha platform identified the top five programming and scripting skills that are most sought after for new-age power developers:

5. Python: Python is a versatile and widely-used programming language known for its simplicity and readability. Power users can leverage Python for tasks such as data analysis, automation, web development, machine learning, and more.
6. JavaScript: JavaScript is a fundamental scripting language for web development. Power users proficient in JavaScript can enhance user interfaces, create interactive web applications, and utilize frameworks like Node.js for server-side development.
7. PowerShell: PowerShell is a powerful scripting language primarily used in Windows environments. Power users can automate administrative tasks, manage system configurations, and interact with various Microsoft technologies using PowerShell.
8. Bash/Shell scripting: Bash scripting is essential for power users operating in Unix-like environments (e.g., Linux). It allows them to write scripts for automating system tasks, executing commands, and managing workflows efficiently.
9. R: R is a programming language and environment designed for statistical analysis and data visualization. Power users with R skills can perform advanced statistical modeling, create data visualizations, and develop data-
   driven applications.
   

5. Cybersecurity Skills

By acquiring these five cybersecurity awareness skills, power users can contribute to a safer digital environment, protect their personal and organizational data, and minimize the risk of cyberattacks and security breaches:

1. Strong Password Management: Power users should understand the importance of creating strong, unique passwords and regularly updating them. They should also know password best practices, such as avoiding common passwords and not sharing passwords with others.
2. Phishing Awareness: Power users need to be vigilant about phishing attacks, which are attempts to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information. They should learn to recognize phishing emails, avoid clicking on suspicious links, and report phishing attempts to the appropriate authorities.
3. Secure Online Behavior: Power users should be knowledgeable about safe online practices, such as avoiding downloading files from untrusted sources, verifying website security (HTTPS), and being cautious when sharing personal information online.
4. Software Updates and Patching: Power users need to understand the importance of keeping software, operating systems, and applications up to date. Regularly applying software updates and security patches helps protect against vulnerabilities and exploits.
5. Network Security Awareness: Power users should be aware of basic network security principles, such as using secure Wi-Fi connections, avoiding unsecured public networks, and understanding the risks associated with untrusted network connections. They should also be familiar with tools like firewalls and antivirus software.
   

Based on the data from our platform, these were the most popular Cybersecurity skills (Attempts vs. Skills graph) on our platform:

Final Thought

Developing the skills mentioned in this blog can help power users excel in their roles, contribute to organizational success, and stay adaptable in a rapidly changing technological landscape. As skills leaders, we need to keep up with the changing market demands and welcome such next-gen skills to empower our overall organizational skillset and get an edge over our competitors.

If you liked what you read, feel free to get in touch with us and share your feedback at marketing@imocha.io.