Context Of Software Development Research Articles

Application of Privacy Engineering Techniques in Software Development for the National Privacy Commission

The study investigated the implementation of privacy engineering in software development at the National Privacy Commission (NPC) with a specific focus on the Data Breach Notification Management System (DBNMS). Objectives include identifying the factors that contribute to the success or failure of privacy engineering in the NPC's software development context, to provide valuable insights into the integration of privacy measures. This includes the development of actionable guidance for the effective integration of privacy and security in software engineering at the NPC, tailored specifically for NPC engineers and encompassing methodologies for incorporating privacy engineering throughout the software development life cycle. This is to empower NPC software engineers with practical tools and strategies to create a secure and privacy-respecting environment. Qualitative methodology and thematic analysis approach were utilized to assess the effectiveness of privacy engineering techniques. To gather insights, semi structured interviews were conducted with both internal and external stakeholders composed of software developers, data protection officers, and other internal and external users of the DBNMS. Evaluation yielded positive remarks both from internal and external participants. Factors that contributed to the success and failure of privacy engineering techniques in software development include rapid evolution of technology, lack of funds, and stakeholder engagement, among others. Overall, the findings are expected to contribute to the broader discourse on privacy engineering and have implications for policymakers, software development practitioners, and organizations looking to enhance their privacy practices in the digital age.

Software verification challenges in the blockchain ecosystem

Blockchain technology has created a new software development context, with its own peculiarities, mainly due to the guarantees that the technology must satisfy, that is, immutability, distributability, and decentralization of data. Its rapid evolution over the last decade implied a lack of adequate verification tools, exposing developers and users to critical vulnerabilities and bugs. This paper clarifies the extent of block chain-oriented software (BoS), that goes well beyond smart contracts. Moreover, it provides an overview of the challenges related to software verification in the blockchain context, encompassing smart contracts, blockchain layers, cross-chain applications, and, more generally, BoS. This study aims to highlight the shortcomings of the state-of-art and of the state-of-practice of software verification in that context and identify, at the same time, new research directions.

A systematic literature review on characteristics of the front-end phase of agile software development projects and their connections to project success

ContextSoftware development of new products and services often involves a front-end phase where user needs are analysed, costs and benefits are estimated, and initial plans are created. GoalThis study aims to learn more about how the introduction of agile software development has affected practices and outcomes related to cost and benefit estimation in this front-end phase and to understand better what would improve this phase. MethodWe identified, reviewed and aggregated the results from 42 relevant research articles by searching literature databases and snowballing relevant articles. ResultsThe front-end phase of agile was found to be, on average, similar and just as comprehensive as that of non-agile software development. This may be unfortunate, given the finding that more successful agile software development is connected with less detail in cost estimation and planning-related activities. A less comprehensive front-end phase may be especially beneficial for low-risk agile software development. ConclusionThe results of this review suggest that agile principles, so far, have had a limited influence on the front-end phase. We recommend more flexibility and context-dependency in how the front-end phase of agile software development is conducted, including less comprehensive estimation and planning activities for low-risk software development contexts.

Real to Real: Deriving Software Development Practices from Film Production Principles

AbstractSoftware development projects face significant risks of going over budget, over schedule, and of failing to deliver expected benefits. These risks have endured despite methodological changes within the industry, such as the rise in popularity of Agile. This research looks outside of the software industry and seeks inspiration from film production, which has developed different management strategies to address challenges similar to those faced by software development projects.First, an analysis of film production project management reveals four principles, each evidenced by a set of practices used throughout the industry. Next, we identify sets of practices that would enable software development projects to also align to those same four principles. The synthesis of each principle from its set of supporting film production practices is then validated through structured interviews with veteran film producers. Lastly, the derivation of each principle to a parallel set of supporting practices within the context of software development is validated in a second series of interviews with experienced software development project managers.In total, this research identifies a set of software development project management practices that mirror film production practices. These practices offer a framework for software development project managers to consider when seeking to tailor existing methodologies, particularly in scenarios that present challenges similar to those encountered in film production.

Advancing green computing: Practices, strategies, and impact in modern software development for environmental sustainability

Advancing Green Computing: Practices, Strategies, and Impact in Modern Software Development for Environmental Sustainability explores the evolving landscape of green computing within the realm of software development, emphasizing the imperative for environmentally sustainable practices. In response to escalating environmental concerns, the computing industry is undergoing a paradigm shift towards reducing its carbon footprint and mitigating ecological impacts. This shift is particularly crucial in software development, given its pervasive influence on technological ecosystems. The review delves into the multifaceted dimensions of green computing, elucidating various practices and strategies that are instrumental in fostering environmental sustainability. From optimizing code efficiency to embracing energy-efficient computing architectures, the review underscores the diverse approaches available to software developers in minimizing resource consumption and carbon emissions. Furthermore, it examines the broader ramifications of these practices, emphasizing their potential to reshape the software industry's ecological footprint and contribute to global efforts for environmental conservation. Moreover, the review highlights the symbiotic relationship between green computing and modern software development methodologies. It elucidates how principles such as agile development and DevOps can be synergistically integrated with green computing practices to enhance sustainability throughout the software development lifecycle. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach that integrates environmental considerations into software design, development, and deployment processes, organizations can catalyze transformative changes towards a greener computing ecosystem. The review also investigates the tangible impact of green computing practices on environmental sustainability metrics. Through case studies and empirical analyses, it showcases the efficacy of various strategies in reducing energy consumption, carbon emissions, and electronic waste generation. Additionally, it discusses the economic and societal benefits accrued from adopting environmentally sustainable practices, ranging from cost savings to enhanced corporate social responsibility. Advancing Green Computing: Practices, Strategies, and Impact in Modern Software Development for Environmental Sustainability provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving landscape of green computing within the context of software development. It elucidates the myriad opportunities and challenges associated with fostering environmental sustainability in the computing industry and underscores the transformative potential of integrating green computing principles into modern software development practices.

Sustainable agility of product development process based on a rough cloud technique: A case study on China's small and medium enterprises.

The importance of incorporating an agile approach into creating sustainable products has been widely discussed. This approach can enhance innovation integration, improve adaptability to changing development circumstances, and increase the efficiency and quality of the product development process. While many agile methods have originated in the software development context and have been formulated based on successful software projects, they often fail due to incorrect procedures and a lack of acceptance, preventing deep integration into the process. Additionally, decision-making for market evaluation is often hindered by unclear and subjective information. Therefore, this study introduces an extended TOPSIS (Technique for Order Performance by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method for sustainable product development. This method leverages the benefits of cloud model theory to address randomness and uncertainty (intrapersonal uncertainty) and the advantages of rough set theory to flexibly handle market demand uncertainty without requiring extra information. The study proposes an integrated weighting method that considers both subjective and objective weights to determine comprehensive criteria weights. It also presents a new framework, named Sustainable Agility of Product Development (SAPD), which aims to evaluate criteria for assessing sustainable product development. To validate the effectiveness of this proposed method, a case study is conducted on small and medium enterprises in China. The obtained results show that the company needs to conduct product structure research and development to realize new product functions.

Assessing the “Systemic Barriers” Affecting Lean Implementation: A Comparison Between Manufacturing and Lean Software Development Contexts

This study attempts to understand the systemic nature of barriers affecting lean implementation in two highly contrasting contexts, i.e., manufacturing and software development. The impact of barriers and their interrelationships is explained using the theoretical lens of organizational change, including dynamics of motivational contagion, resistance, and readiness to change. Furthermore, the varying impact of barriers in manufacturing and service contexts is posited using the service-dominant logic, which is subsequently examined by analyzing barrier impacts in a manufacturing firm and a software development firm in India. Lean implementation barriers common to multiple industry sectors were identified from extant literature and then subjected to graph theory (GT) methodology to quantify the causal interactions among these common barriers. Relevant data were collected from team leaders in Indian manufacturing and software development firms tasked with lean implementation in their organizations. A network of relationships was obtained using the GT approach for major barrier groups and associated subbarriers. The findings highlighted the varying effect of these barriers in the two highly contrasting contexts. This study extends the understanding of the systemic effect of lean implementation barriers, which is a relatively novel perspective.

Implementation of Waterfall Method in Model Development to Improve Learning Quality of Computer Network Courses

This research aims to improve the learning quality of Computer Network course through the implementation of Waterfall method in the development of learning model. Waterfall method, with its focus on systematic and sequential approach in software development, is adapted to design and implement effective learning structure. This study uses qualitative research design with data collection through observation, interview, and documentation. Data analysis was conducted using content analysis method to evaluate the effectiveness of Waterfall-based learning model implementation. The results show that the implementation of Waterfall method facilitates structured planning, systematic development of learning materials, and continuous evaluation, which overall contribute to the improvement of learning quality. The developed learning model encourages students' active participation and improves the understanding of key concepts in Computer Networking. This research confirms that the Waterfall method can be effectively used outside the context of software development, particularly in improving the quality of learning in the academic field.

Transpiler-Based Architecture Design Model for Back-End Layers in Software Development

The utilization of software architectures and designs is widespread in software development, offering conceptual frameworks to address recurring challenges. A transpiler is a tool that automatically converts source code from one high-level programming language to another, ensuring algorithmic equivalence. This study introduces an innovative software architecture design model that integrates transpilers into the back-end layer, enabling the automatic transformation of business logic and back-end components from a single source code (the coding artifact) into diverse equivalent versions using distinct programming languages (the automatically produced code). This work encompasses both abstract and detailed design aspects, covering the proposal, automated processes, layered design, development environment, nest implementations, and cross-cutting components. In addition, it defines the main target audiences, discusses pros and cons, examines their relationships with prevalent design paradigms, addresses considerations about compatibility and debugging, and emphasizes the pivotal role of the transpiler. An empirical experiment involving the practical application of this model was conducted by implementing a collaborative to-do list application. This paper comprehensively outlines the relevant methodological approach, strategic planning, precise execution, observed outcomes, and insightful reflections while underscoring the the model’s pragmatic viability and highlighting its relevance across various software development contexts. Our contribution aims to enrich the field of software architecture design by introducing a new way of designing multi-programming-language software.

A Perspective on Sustainable Computational Chemistry Software Development and Integration.

The power of quantum chemistry to predict the ground and excited state properties of complex chemical systems has driven the development of computational quantum chemistry software, integrating advances in theory, applied mathematics, and computer science. The emergence of new computational paradigms associated with exascale technologies also poses significant challenges that require a flexible forward strategy to take full advantage of existing and forthcoming computational resources. In this context, the sustainability and interoperability of computational chemistry software development are among the most pressing issues. In this perspective, we discuss software infrastructure needs and investments with an eye to fully utilize exascale resources and provide unique computational tools for next-generation science problems and scientific discoveries.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Tools in Software Development Processes: Application of ChatGPT

Software development processes are continuously evolving and rapidly transforming alongside the rapid changes in technology. Recently, innovations in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) have led to significant changes in software development practices. AI tools can greatly enhance traditional software development processes by offering developers the ability to create projects more intelligently, swiftly, and effectively. These tools can be employed in various tasks, such as code generation, test automation, error analysis, and performance improvements. Particularly, ChatGPT, an AI-based language model that has had a profound impact on almost every domain, can assist software developers in writing code faster and in a more natural language manner. In this research article, essential information about the usage of ChatGPT in the software development process is presented. To evaluate some capabilities of ChatGPT in the software development context, applications were performed on a software project. For this purpose, a software development process was constructed based on the responses provided by ChatGPT. Various questions related to software development processes were formulated, and the responses generated by GPT were evaluated. The obtained results indicated that ChatGPT exhibited excellent performance in the software development process. Based on these findings, it was observed that AI-based models like ChatGPT could be effectively utilized as assisting tools in software development processes, accelerating traditional workflows. Furthermore, AI-based tools can automate testing processes, enhancing software quality while saving time and effort.

An empirical investigation on the benefits of gamification in communication within university development teams

AbstractThe field of software management recognizes communication as a fundamental aspect, which has garnered significant attention in recent years. In response, scholars have advocated for the implementation of innovative pedagogical approaches to foster students' engagement in communication. One such approach is the utilization of gamification, the integration of game design elements into nongame contexts, which has been demonstrated to be an effective teaching technique across various fields of education. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of gamification on in‐team communication quality within the context of software development. To this end, an experimental design was employed with four teams of third‐year students enrolled in software development courses. The results of the study indicate that the introduction of gamification significantly enhances communication quality among the students. Furthermore, our findings indicate that a specific gamification strategy, feedback, plays a crucial role in guiding the students toward desired communication behaviors. On the basis of the results of this study, it can be concluded that gamification presents a promising approach to enhance communication quality within software development teams.

The dynamic versus the stable team: The unspoken question in large‐scale agile development

SummaryThe importance of the team, its internal dynamics, and its performance are widely recognized within the software engineering community. While popular frameworks identify wholeness, stability over time, and smallness as important factors, they offer little guidance on how to form teams that achieve these three characteristics. The objective of this study is to investigate how these team characteristics interact in large‐scale software development contexts, particularly focusing on the impact of stable and dynamic teaming approaches. This was done through a multivocal study of literature, followed by individual semi‐structured interviews with 19 engineers from two companies and validation workshops with an additional two companies from unrelated industry segments. The study results show that the question of stable versus dynamic approaches to forming software engineering teams is largely unaddressed in industry, with stable teams representing a habitual default option. Meanwhile, both stable and dynamic teams clearly have respective strengths and weaknesses, calling for careful consideration of the most suitable approach in any given situation. To support such consideration, this paper presents a model of how team stability, wholeness, and smallness interact. This model is found relevant, accurate, generalizable, and useful by practitioners.

Open Source Usability and User Experience

The purpose of this article is to highlight the challenges of user-centered and usability processes and methods in a open source software development context as well as to provide some answers for these challenges.

Social Sustainability Approaches for a Sustainable Software Product

Sustainability is the use of existing resources without compromising them for future generations. Resources must be guaranteed in the environmental, economic, and social dimensions. Sustainable Software Engineering is an emerging research field aiming to minimize software development's negative impacts on society. Furthermore, software sustainability can be defined as a way of keeping something running at a certain level of quality in relation to these dimensions. From the social dimension perspective, it is necessary to confirm software's trade-offs, benefits, and impacts on society since it lacks empirical evidence of its achievements in software. In this research thesis, we will explore how the literature addresses the aspect of social sustainability during software development and understand how social sustainability approaches can be integrated into the context of agile software development. In the end, we expect to have a set of guidelines, activities, and practices that can be adopted by agile teams.

A broad approach to expert detection using syntactic and semantic social networks analysis in the context of Global Software Development

Social network analysis has been widely used in different application contexts. For example, in Global Software Development, where multiple developers with diverse skills and knowledge are involved, the use of social networking models helps to understand how these developers collaborate. Finding experts who can help address critical elements or issues in a project is a challenging and critical task. It is especially true in the context of Global Software Development projects, where developers with specific skills and knowledge often need to be identified. In this sense, searching for essential members is a valuable task, as they are fundamental to the evolution of the network. This article proposes a broad solution for syntactic and semantic analysis in social networks in the Global Software Development context. In this solution, we define a model for the social network capable of capturing collaboration between developers, incorporate strategies for temporal analysis of the network, explore the network using machine learning algorithms, and propose an ontology to enrich the data semantically. We conducted three case studies using data extracted from GitHub to evaluate the proposed approach. The case studies provide evidence that our proposed method can identify specialists, highlighting their expertise and importance to the evolution of the social network.

The role of knowledge-based resources in Agile Software Development contexts

The software value chain is knowledge-based since it is highly dependant on people. Consequently, a lack of practice in managing knowledge as a resource may jeopardise its application in software development. Knowledge-Based Resources (KBRs) relate to employees’ intangible knowledge that is deemed to be valuable to a company’s competitive advantage. In this study, we apply a grounded theory approach to examine the role of KBRs in Agile Software Development (ASD). To this aim, we collected data from 18 practitioners from five companies. We develop the Knowledge-Push theory, which explains how KBRs boost the need for change in ASD. Our results show that the practitioners who participated in the study utilise, as primary strategies, task planning, resource management, and social collaboration. These strategies are implemented through the team environment and settings and incorporate an ability to codify and transmit knowledge. However, this process of codification is non-systematic, which consequently introduces inefficiency in the domain of knowledge resource utilisation, resulting in potential knowledge waste. This inefficiency can generate negative implications for software development, including meaningless searches in databases, frustration because of recurrent problems, the unnecessary redesign of solutions, and a lack of awareness of knowledge sources.

HYBRID MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION MAKING MODEL FOR CUSTOMER KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT IN SOFTWARE INDUSTRY

In this study, the enablers of Customer Knowledge Management (CKM) software companies are investigated. Consequently, the conceptual CKM enabler model is developed by extracting “organizational”, “technological” and “human” factors from the literature. Then, a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) approach is applied to identify the dependence relationships of factors by using the Analytic Network Processes (ANP) and the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) techniques. The inter-dependencies significance among the factors is evaluated by DEMATEL. ANP technique is used in order to clarify the relative significance of the factors and identify the weight and priority. The results show that the “organization” dimension is the most considerable aspect of enhancing CKM in software development. The “organization” aspect has more interaction with other aspects and activates the “technology” and “human” factors. In addition, “technology” is the second dimension that influences “human” and “organization”. Due to the importance of CKM for organizations, this research provides a significant contribution in the context of CKM by extracting and ranking the CKM antecedent factors for enterprise software development context.

Spatial and Temporal Audience Behavior of Scrum Practitioners Around Semi-Public Ambient Displays

Exploring spatial and temporal audience behavior around ambient displays is an important area of HCI research. It aids in, for instance, understanding better user appropriation in natural environments. However, there are only a few tools to capture said behavior, and simultaneously, little knowledge of the space around ambient display installations exists. In this research, we report on audience behavior observed during an in-the-wild study where we deployed our custom Ambient Surfaces solution in a professional, large-scale agile software development context for circa 5 years. Across 18 weeks in 2017, we collected skeletal data with two Microsoft Kinect v2 cameras resulting in behavior information of more than 30,000 passersby. Our results indicate, among others, that users did show the highest levels of engagement at quite some distance to the Ambient Surfaces and that people engaging in direct interaction did so rather purposely. Ultimately, this article encapsulates our research’s originality in four contributions including an approach to separate passersby from real users and an in-depth exploration of skeletal data. With the tools and methods illustrated, we hope to demonstrate manifold insights for future research on audience behavior tracking.

Agile Work Practices: Scale Development and Validation

Building on team effectiveness and work design perspectives, the present study develops a novel Agile Work Practices Instrument (AWPI). This instrument measures the most common agile practices and further distinguishes them along the taskwork-teamwork continuum. Using data of 269 teams, we establish the psychometric properties and construct validity of the AWPI. Tests of measurement models and nomological networks supported the distinction between agile taskwork and agile teamwork. As hypothesized, agile taskwork related uniquely to emergent taskwork planning and team autonomy, while agile teamwork related uniquely to emergent teamwork planning and feedback. The AWPI sets the stage for more empirical research on agile working, beyond the software development context, where most agile concepts originated. By integrating team effectiveness and work design perspectives, we aim to clarify the meaning of the term “agile” for management researchers and practitioners.