On Eye Tracking in Software Engineering

Abstract

Eye tracking is becoming more and more important as a research method within the field of software engineering (SE). Existing meta-analyses focus on the design or conduct of SE eye tracking studies rather than the analysis phase. This article attempts to fill this gap; it presents a systematic literature review of eye tracking studies in the field of SE—focusing mainly on the data analysis methods used. From the IEEE Xplore and ACM digital libraries we gather 125 papers up to the first quarter of 2024. Detailed evaluation provides information on the number of papers that use specific methods of analysis (i.e., descriptive or inferential statistics, and gaze visualization) or settings (e.g., sample size, technical setup, and selected aspects of research design). With the data obtained we can infer the popularity of specific analysis methods in the field. Those results enable efficient work on data analysis tools or education of aspiring researchers and can serve as basis for standardization or guidelines within the community—providing for methods to include as well as current inconsistencies.