ITSy--Simplicity Research in Information and Communication Technology

Abstract

Basic to information and communication technology design, simplicity as a driving concept receives little formal attention from the ICT community. A recent literature review and survey of scholars, researchers, and practitioners conducted through the Information Technology Simply Works (ITSy) European Support Action reveals key findings about current perceptions of and future directions for simplicity in ICT.

Scientific software development viewed as knowledge acquisition: Towards understanding the development of risk-averse scientific software

“…One indicator is that the concept of simplicity seems to be more prevalent in discussions of scientific software than in discussions about software engineering [9]. Programming simplicity supports spending more time elsewhere other than coding.…”

“…According to research [9], simplicity is mentioned more in literature related to scientific software than in literature related to software engineering. One interviewee called the approach "simple rational programming".…”

The most suitable person to establish quality assurance guidelines for the generation and use of noncommercial clinical software is a medical physicist

“…Apparently, scientists focus on simplicity far more than software engineers. 15 For any set of qualities, we still need to achieve them. My colleague suggests, for example, information hiding and requirements traceability as fundamental principles for anyone.…”

“…In the case of clinical software, medical physicists have the best understanding of what is in front of them in terms of use and the physics embedded in it. By keeping the software code very simple (which scientists have a tendency to do 15 ), medical physicists are in the best position to decide what further keeps them out of trouble. My colleague suggests that software engineers have a mandate to ensure that the public is served and protected.…”

Simplicity in IT: a Chance for a New Kind of Design and Process Science

“…We asked about their experiences and perspectives on how simplicity fits within the fabric of managing complexity (Floyd & Bosselmann, 2013). We have also started to create a simple ontology of the complexity management frameworks and techniques which inform design in specific areas of IT, as for instance in resource constrained and embedded systems design , in formal methods (Margaria, 2012), and in ERP systems .…”