Professional Software Developers Research Articles

Towards reusable building blocks for agent-based modelling and theory development

Despite the increasing use of standards for documenting and testing agent-based models (ABMs) and sharing of open access code, most ABMs are still developed from scratch. This is not only inefficient, but also leads to ad hoc and often inconsistent implementations of the same theories in computational code and delays progress in the exploration of the functioning of complex social-ecological systems (SES). We argue that reusable building blocks (RBBs) known from professional software development can mitigate these issues. An RBB is a submodel that represents a particular mechanism or process that is relevant across many ABMs in an application domain, such as plant competition in vegetation models, or reinforcement learning in a behavioural model. RBBs need to be distinguished from modules, which represent entire subsystems and include more than one mechanism and process. While linking modules faces the same challenges as integrating different models in general, RBBs are “atomic” enough to be more easily re-used in different contexts. We describe and provide examples from different domains for how and why building blocks are used in software development, and the benefits of doing so for the ABM community and to individual modellers. We propose a template to guide the development and publication of RBBs and provide example RBBs that use this template. Most importantly, we propose and initiate a strategy for community-based development, sharing and use of RBBs. Individual modellers can have a much greater impact in their field with an RBB than with a single paper, while the community will benefit from increased coherence, facilitating the development of theory for both the behaviour of agents and the systems they form. We invite peers to upload and share their RBBs via our website - preferably referenced by a DOI (digital object identifier obtained e.g. via Zenodo). After a critical mass of candidate RBBs has accumulated, feedback and discussion can take place and both the template and the scope of the envisioned platform can be improved.

The impact of personality traits and cultural values on coordination effectiveness: A study of software development teams effectiveness

AbstractSoftware development projects depend on collaborative teams. In the past 50 years of research, various studies have explored the effect of software engineer's personality traits and cultural values on team performance. These studies have led to better understand these relationships; however, how the personality traits and cultural values influence the team effectiveness is still far away in the literature. This research aims to investigate the relationships between social and psychological complexities (including personality traits and cultural values), team coordination, team motivation, and team success (which comprises team effectiveness and team climate) to explore the impact of social and psychological issues on software team success. An online survey targeting software development professionals and unstructured interviews were followed for data collection. We received 112 responses from software developers working in different countries. Findings indicate that personality traits and cultural values, that is, consciousness, openness, harmony, and autonomy, have positive relationship with team coordination effectiveness, while other factors such as neuroticism, embeddedness, hierarchy, and mastery were found to be related negatively with it. These negative relationships can be mitigated by motivating team members appropriately. Based on our research findings, we conclude that the negative impact caused by different personality and cultural traits could be reduced by improving team coordination effectiveness using effective motivation.

Gender inequality in the sphere of artificial intelligence: Theoretical approach

<p>Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector, like the other sectors, is marked by the minority presence of women within these entities. According to the UNESCO, the percentage of technical employees in large enterprises of Machine Learning who are women is 20%, the percentage of researchers in artificial intelligence in the world who are women is 12%, and the percentage of professional software developers who are women is only 6%. In other words, the proportion of gender in the practice of the professions of the AI remains highly unequal. Therefore, it is now crucial to review the causes and consequences of these gender inequalities. This paper aims to develop a theoretical framework for managing human resources in the digital environment and artificial intelligence, aiming to identify the causes and consequences of gender inequality in the AI sector. The study will focus on the role of women in AI. Additionally, it will explore potential solutions to this issue, utilizing an analytical lens grounded in existing literature to gain a deeper understanding of gender disparities in the AI sphere. Nevertheless, this theoretical study has a limitation in its methodology, relying exclusively on a literature review. To better understand the depth of gender inequality within the sector of AI, more empirical case studies are needed for a more comprehensive understanding.</p>

A Multivocal Literature Review on Non-Technical Debt in Software Development: {A}n Insight into Process, Social, People, Organizational, and Culture Debt

Software development encompasses various factors beyond technical considerations. Neglecting non-technical elements like individuals, processes, culture, and social and organizational aspects can lead to debt-like characteristics that demand attention. Therefore, we introduce the non-technical debt (NTD) concept to encompass and explore these aspects. This indicates the applicability of the debt analogy to non-technical facets of software development. Technical debt (TD) and NTD share similarities and often arise from risky decision-making processes, impacting both software development professionals and software quality. Overlooking either type of debt can lead to significant implications for software development success. The current study conducts a comprehensive multivocal literature review (MLR) to explore the most recent research on NTD, its causes, and potential mitigation strategies. For analysis, we carefully selected 40 primary studies among 110 records published until October 1, 2022. The study investigates the factors contributing to the accumulation of NTD in software development and proposes strategies to alleviate the adverse effects associated with it. This MLR offers a contemporary overview and identifies prospects for further investigation, making a valuable contribution to the field. The findings of this research highlight that NTD’s impacts extend beyond monetary aspects, setting it apart from TD. Furthermore, the findings reveal that rectifying NTD is more challenging than addressing TD, and its consequences contribute to the accumulation of TD. To avert software project failures, a comprehensive approach that addresses NTD and TD concurrently is crucial. Effective communication and coordination play a vital role in mitigating NTD, and the study proposes utilizing the 3C model as a recommended framework to tackle NTD concerns.

A PROFESSIONAL APPROACH AS A METHOD OF PROTECTING INFORMATION AT THE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT OF RELATIONAL DATABASES AND SOFTWARE FOR WORKING WITH THEM

The design of relational databases and software (software) for working with them is analyzed from the point of view of design components affecting data security. Named the internal threats that arise due to imperfect design. Positive practices are described that allow designing databases and developing software to work with them in the aspect of secure code. It is justified why the stage of relational database design, when relation normalization is applied, relationships between tables are formed, and integrity constraints are formed, is a step to ensure data protection, which is not emphasized in the database security literature. In particular, it is proposed to create external relationships between tables so that the Database Management System (DBMS) protects data from integrity violations. Some points in the development of software are highlighted, which are responsible for the safety of working with the database from the point of view of creating a reliable and safe code and stem from the practical experience of the programmer. The secure code approach, which is widely used in software development and at the software audit level, has been shown to prevent internal security threats, which are the most common cause of data loss. The requirements for using this approach are included in the updated information security standards, so they should be considered by professional database and software developers.

"I WORKED SO HARD, AND I STILL DIDN'T SUCCEED”: CODING BOOTCAMP EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Coding bootcamps are intensive training programs that aim to turn adults with no computer programming experience into professional software developers in as little as 12 to 16 weeks. In both the US and the UK, coding bootcamps are positioned as an alternative pathway into the tech “pipeline” for groups who are traditionally excluded from computing careers (Schnell, 2019; UK Digital Strategy, 2022). Framed as a form of “coding equity”, bootcamps are said to provide “transformative access” for participants and have even been characterized as a form of social justice activism (Rea, 2022). However, our ongoing comparative study about coding bootcamps in the US and UK indicates that the benefits of attending a coding bootcamp accrue disproportionately across different groups. Drawing upon ethnographic, interview, and survey data, this work-in-progress paper focuses on the bootcamp experiences of people with disabilities, who were more likely to experience unfair bias and/or exclusion and are less likely to have experienced employment-related benefits than people without disabilities. This paper discusses some of the contributing factors to these outcomes and explores the impact that these experiences have on bootcamp students with disabilities. In doing so, it casts some doubt on the “transformative” possibilities of bootcamps for marginalized groups. Although some bootcamps declare their “support” for “people with disabilities and neurodiversities” (Northcoders, n.d.), our study indicates that even if and when this support exists, it falls short of what people with disabilities need to thrive in a bootcamp setting.

Continuous Learning at the Individual Level: a study in software development organizations

This study aims to understand the occurrence of continuous learning at the individual level in Software Development Organizations – SDOs according to the framework proposed by Tannenbaum (1997). The objectives are to understand and describe the strategies and tools applied by developers during their learning process and if the studied SDOs offer a work environment conducive to continuous learning at the individual level. Thus, qualitative research was conducted with 12 Software Development Professionals in four SDOs applying semi-structured interviews. The subjects interviewed were involved in the software development process. The analyses were performed by the qualitative data analysis software Weft_QDA, which allowed the identification and analysis of speeches related to the theoretical concept of this study. The results show that SDOs offer an environment conducive to continuous learning at the individual level by allowing meaningful learning experiences, motivating constant participation in these experiences and, especially, engaging in complex projects whose results are influenced by the application of acquired knowledge.

A Remedy to the Unfair Use of AI in Educational Settings

This paper addresses concerns related to the ethical implications of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on human values, with a particular focus on fair outcomes. Existing design frameworks and regulations for ensuring fairness in AI are too general and impractical. Instead, we advocate for understanding fairness as situated in practice, shaped by practitioners’ values, allowing stakeholders control in the situation. To accomplish this, the paper contributes by conceptually exploring a potential synergy by combining Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and Meta-Design. By doing so, human activities can be transformed to deal with challenges, in this case, those emerging from adaptive AI tools. While professional software developers are essential for making significant changes to the tool and providing solutions, users’ involvement is equally important. Users are domain experts when it comes to determining practical solutions and aligning structures with their work practices. CHAT contributes through its emphasis on context, history, and mediation by tools. This enables a critical analysis of activity systems, helping to reveal underlying contradictions and identify areas where improvements or innovations are necessary. Meta-Design provides design concepts and perspectives that aim to empower participants, allowing them to actively shape the processes of tool design to align with their specific local needs and evolving conceptions of fairness in use-time. This offers an approach to empowering people and promoting more fair AI design.

Blockchain and digital governance: Decentralization of decision making policy

AbstractBlockchain is gaining popularity as a potential solution for the decentralized management of public information. A number of interesting solutions have been proposed by independent developers around the world to promote blockchain as a promising platform to potentially accelerate democratic processes and achieve certain public values in reforming digital governance. This could be reflected in facilitating direct citizen participation in digital politics, promoting greater civic cooperation and engagement in political discussions, boosting the role of civic commentary and even collaborative decision‐making in e‐government. In this regard, the article critically elaborates on the potential of this technology to promote political dimensions of public sector reforms in a post‐positivist manner, resorting to the analysis of concrete e‐participation cases in a number of public areas where the potential has already been realized and the opinions of professional software developers who are currently engaged in building various blockchain‐driven data management solutions in the e‐government area. This paper identifies, debates, and draws on what benefits and risks public policy can yield from the implementation of blockchain governance.

BUKU DIGITAL PRAKTIK AKUNTANSI JASA (BUDIAJA) AS A LEARNING SUPPORT IN THE INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING COURSE

As one of the leading universities in Jombang, STIE PGRI Dewantara Jombang strives to provide the best possible service to all students with various abilities, including students who are slow learners. A learning aid technology was created that makes it easier for students to carry out lectures, one of which is the Introduction to Accounting course. This activity aims to create learning aids technology to make it easier for students to absorb the lesson with the BUDIAJA application. This activity lasted approximately five months, from the preparation stage to the final evaluation of the activity. This activity involved the writing team, a professional software developer, 20 volunteer students, and educational technology consultants. From the results of the activity, it is known that the response given by students after using BUDIAJA was very good and increased understanding. The follow-up plan for this activity is to develop the program so that it can be applied to other courses.

Developers talking about code quality

There are many aspects of code quality, some of which are difficult to capture or to measure. Despite the importance of software quality, there is a lack of commonly accepted measures or indicators for code quality that can be linked to quality attributes. We investigate software developers’ perceptions of source code quality and the practices they recommend to achieve these qualities. We analyze data from semi-structured interviews with 34 professional software developers, programming teachers and students from Europe and the U.S. For the interviews, participants were asked to bring code examples to exemplify what they consider good and bad code, respectively. Readability and structure were used most commonly as defining properties for quality code. Together with documentation, they were also suggested as the most common target properties for quality improvement. When discussing actual code, developers focused on structure, comprehensibility and readability as quality properties. When analyzing relationships between properties, the most commonly talked about target property was comprehensibility. Documentation, structure and readability were named most frequently as source properties to achieve good comprehensibility. Some of the most important source code properties contributing to code quality as perceived by developers lack clear definitions and are difficult to capture. More research is therefore necessary to measure the structure, comprehensibility and readability of code in ways that matter for developers and to relate these measures of code structure, comprehensibility and readability to common software quality attributes.

An Empirical Study of Adoption of ChatGPT for Bug Fixing among Professional Developers

ChatGPT is a powerful tool that assists software engineers in identifying and rectifying errors in code. One of its primary advantages is its ability to engage in natural language conversation with humans, which allows it to collaborate more closely with engineers in improving and optimizing the code. However, despite its potential advantages, software developers do not always utilize ChatGPT as a tool for bug fixing. In this study, we aim to examine the factors that influence the adoption of ChatGPT for bug fixing among professional software developers, based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) theory. To accomplish this, we conducted 50 semi-structured interviews with professional software developers and other stakeholders. Our findings indicate that the performance expectancy and effort expectancy of professional software developers, as well as social influence, facilitating conditions, data security, and trust are the key factors of adoption. These findings suggest that understanding these factors can be critical in promoting the adoption and use of ChatGPT in the software development industry.

Achieving software development agility: different roles of team, methodological and process factors

PurposeAgile principles have been widely used in software development team practice since the creation of the Agile Manifesto. Studies have examined variables related to agile principles without systematically considering the relationships among key team, agile methodology, and process variables underlying the agile principles and how these variables jointly influence the achievement of software development agility. In this study, the authors tested a team/methodology–process–agility model that links team variables (team autonomy and team competence) and methodological variable (iterative development) to process variables (communication and collaborative decision-making), which are in turn linked to software development agility (ability to sense, respond and learn).Design/methodology/approachSurvey data from one hundred and sixty software development professionals were analyzed using structural equation modeling methods.FindingsThe results support the team/methodology–process–agility model. Process variables (communication and collaborative decision-making) mediated the effects of team (autonomy and competence) and methodological (iterative development) variables on software development agility. In addition, team, methodology and process variables had different effects on the three dimensions of software development agility.Originality/valueThe results contribute to the literature on organizational IT management by establishing a team/methodology–process–agility model that can serve as a basis for developing a core theoretical foundation underlying agile principles and practices. The results also have practical implications for organizations in understanding and managing holistically the different roles that agile methodological, team and process factors play in achieving software development agility.

The Planemo toolkit for developing, deploying, and executing scientific data analyses in Galaxy and beyond.

There are thousands of well-maintained high-quality open-source software utilities for all aspects of scientific data analysis. For more than a decade, the Galaxy Project has been providing computational infrastructure and a unified user interface for these tools to make them accessible to a wide range of researchers. To streamline the process of integrating tools and constructing workflows as much as possible, we have developed Planemo, a software development kit for tool and workflow developers and Galaxy power users. Here we outline Planemo's implementation and describe its broad range of functionality for designing, testing, and executing Galaxy tools, workflows, and training material. In addition, we discuss the philosophy underlying Galaxy tool and workflow development, and how Planemo encourages the use of development best practices, such as test-driven development, by its users, including those who are not professional software developers.

Special Issue on Requirements Engineering, Practice and Research

With recent developments in cloud and mobile computing technologies, the growing need for secure, trustworthy, and cost-efficient software and the shortage of highly skilled professional software developers have given rise to a new generation of problems that require improved forms of specification and representation of such systems at multiple abstraction levels, with various concerns and stakeholder perspectives [...]

MSDeveloper: A Variability-Guided Methodology for Microservice-Based Development

This article presents a microservice-based development approach, MSDeveloper (Microservices Developer), employing variability management for product configuration through a low-code development environment. The purpose of this approach is to offer a general-purpose environment for the easier development of families of products for different domains: a domain-oriented development environment is suggested, where domain developers and product developers can utilize the environment as a software ecosystem. Thus, genericity is offered through supporting different domains. A domain is populated with feature and process models and microservices in a layered architecture. Feature models drive the product configuration, which affects the process model and the microservice layer. An experimental study was conducted to validate the applicability of the approach and the usability of the development environment. Students from different courses were assigned system modeling projects where they utilized helper tools supporting the provided methodology. Furthermore, professional software developers were consulted about this recommended domain-oriented development environment. Feedback from student projects and professionals’ remarks are analyzed and discussed.

Analyzing the impact of agile mindset adoption on software development teams productivity during COVID-19

PurposeThe objective of the study is to analyze the impact of the adoption of the Agile Mindset on the productivity of Agile software development teams in IT enterprises during COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachA web-based survey is performed with voluntary participants working with the Agile software development professionals with a specific focus on IT enterprises around Pune, India. For this the initial exploratory literature review was performed, to explore the team's behaviors and their response to the crises like the Covid-19 pandemic. Data is collected from the targeted population using the random sampling method. A questionnaire is designed with the help of a five-point Likert scale. All the respondents were analyzed based on their behaviors shown and how adopting to Agile mindset has impacted their productivity during the pandemic. Collected data would be then analyzed using the Smart PLS-SEM methodology.FindingsFindings of the study show that Agile software development teams adopting to Agile mindset are better at responding to crisis and quick to adapt to change as teams adopting the Agile mindset is likely to sustain or even improve their productivity during the crises like Covid-19 pandemic. Adapting to an Agile mindset is important for Agile software development teams during a crisis as a response to changes in the working as well as environmental conditions. This study also shows that by adopting an Agile mindset, development teams are better at responding to the crisis eventually improving productivity.Research limitations/implicationsResearch limitations for this study-scope of the study could be extended to the larger population across geographies to have improved insights Productivity Factors like- Efforts Efficiency, Backlog-management Index (BMI), and Weighted Average Productivity (VWP) for team members can be included. More behavioral factors for Agile Mindset can be considered.Practical implicationsAgile software development teams are characterized by collaboration and responsibility. Recent enforcement of pandemic precautionary measures has enforced Agile software development teams to work remotely and maintain social distancing while in the office. It was challenging for most of the working people to adjust to the new working conditions (Yang et al., 2021) However, in IT organizations, adopting the Agile mindset has ensured continuous software deliveries, took ownership, and quickly adapted to the volatile situations, ultimately resulting into the growth in the productivity unlike to that of other sectors of the economy.Social implicationsIn this study, we have analyzed the hypotheses with statistical significance in association with constructs that are in sync with the available literature. Adopting the Agile mindset values has positively impacted the team's behavior resulting in productivity improvement even in the distributed working locations in pandemic situations.Originality/valueThe study highlights that adopting to Agile mindset has positively impacted an Agile software development team's productivity during the Covid-19 pandemic. As environmental conditions during Covid-19 were uncertain and ambiguous and teams were working in distributed and disconnected ways, many researchers have believed that it would have affected the overall productivity. This was turned true for most of the sectors of the economy, however, Agile software development teams have shown positive trends in their productivity, as they have adopted the Agile mindset values and principles, during crises.

The Impact of Agile Methodology on Project Success, with a Moderating Role of Person’s Job Fit in the IT Industry of Pakistan

Computing software plays an essential role in almost every sector of the digital age, but the process of efficient software development still faces several challenges. Effective software development methodology can be the difference between the success and failure of a software project. This research aims to evaluate the overall impact of Agile Software Development (ASD) on the individual, organizational, software development, and project management dimensions. For this purpose, we surveyed several software development professionals from a variety of backgrounds (experience, location, and job ranks) to explore the impact of ASD on the IT industry of Pakistan. Our analysis of the collected information is two folds. First, we summarized the findings from our surveys graphically clearly show the opinions of our survey respondents regarding the effectiveness of the Agile methodology for software development. Secondly, we utilized quantitative measures to analyze the same data statistically. A comparison is drawn between the graphical and statistical analysis to verify the reliability of our findings. Our findings suggest the existence of a strong relationship between effective software development and the use of Agile processes. Our analysis shows that the job fit of software development professionals and ASD are critical factors for software development project success in terms of cost, quality, stakeholders satisfaction, and time. Although the study focuses on the IT industry of Pakistan, the findings can be generalized easily to other developing IT industries worldwide.

Trace visualization within the Software City metaphor: Controlled experiments on program comprehension

Especially with the rise of microservice architectures, software is hard to understand when just the static dependencies are known. The actual call paths and the dynamic behavior of the application are hidden behind network communication. To comprehend what is going on in the software the vast amount of runtime data (traces) needs to be reduced and visualized. This work explores more effective visualizations to support program comprehension based on runtime data. The pure DynaCity visualization supports understanding normal behavior, while DynaCity rc supports the comprehension of faulty behavior. DynaCity uses the city metaphor for visualization. Its novel trace visualization displays dynamic dependencies as arcs atop the city. To reduce the number of traces, DynaCity aggregates all requests between the same two components into one arc whose brightness reflects both the number and the total duration of the requests. DynaCity also encodes dynamic trace data in a heatmap that it uses to light up the building: the brighter a building is, the more active it is, i.e., the more and the longer the requests are that it receives and/or spawns. An additional color scheme reflects any error/status codes among the aggregated traces. In a controlled experiment, we compare our approach with a traditional trace visualization built into the same Software City but showing all dependencies (without aggregation) as individual arcs and also disabling the heatmap. We also report on a second study that evaluates if an error-based coloring of only the arcs is sufficient or if the buildings should also be colored. We call this extension DynaCity rc as it is meant to support r oot c ause analyses. The source code and the raw data of the quantitative evaluations are available from https://github.com/qaware/dynacity . We show quantitatively that a group of professional software developers who participated in a controlled experiment solve typical software comprehension tasks more correctly (11.7%) and also saved 5.83% of the total allotted time with the help of DynaCity and that they prefer it over the more traditional dynamic trace visualization. The color scheme based on HTTP error codes in DynaCity rc supports developers when performing root cause analyses, as the median of them stated that the visualization helped them much in solving the tasks. The evaluation also shows that subjects using DynaCity rc with colored arcs and buildings find the responsible component 26.2% and the underlying root cause 33.3% more correctly than the group with just colored arcs. They also ranked it 40% more helpful to color both. The DynaCity visualization helps professional software engineers to understand the dynamic behavior of a software system better and faster. The color encoding of error codes in DynaCity rc also helps them with root cause analyses. • DynaCity helps developers in software comprehension. • View is less cluttered by aggregating traces into representative arcs and by mapping activities to the brightness of both arcs and buildings. • Extension DynaCity rc supports developers in root cause analyses. • Better to map error codes to the colors of arcs and also buildings. • Controlled experiments with up to 30 professionals justify claims quantitatively.

Agile Software Development in Healthcare: A Synthetic Scoping Review

Even though software can be found everywhere, software development has encountered many problems, resulting in the emergence of new alternative development paradigms. Among them, agile approaches are the most popular. While much research has been published about agile software development (ASD) in general, there is a lack of documented knowledge about its use in healthcare. Consequently, it is not clear how ASD is used in healthcare, how it performs, and what the reasons are for not using it. To fill this gap, we performed a quantitative and qualitative knowledge synthesis of the research literature harvested from Scopus and Web of Science databases, employing the triangulation of bibliometrics and thematic analysis to answer the research question What is state of the art in using ASD in the healthcare sector? Results show that the research literature production trend is positive. The most productive countries are leading software development countries: the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany. The research is mainly published in health informatics source titles. It is focused on improving the software process, quality of healthcare software, reduction of development resources, and general improvement of healthcare delivery. More research has to be done on scaling agile approaches to large-scale healthcare software development projects. Despite barriers, ASD can improve software development in healthcare settings and strengthen cooperation between healthcare and software development professionals. This could result in more successful digital health transformation and consequently more equitable access to expert-level healthcare, even on a global level.