Software quality information needs

Abstract

Modern software methodologies, e.g., agile and continuous integration and deployment, rely on frequent feedback loops to respond to sudden changes. Improvements to feedback, development activities, and quality rely on information needs. We found a lack of understanding on the information needs of software engineers when the software quality is the main concern. I propose the term "software quality information needs" to refer to a software engineer's eagerness to define, locate, obtain, and use information to satisfy a conscious or unconscious concern towards software quality. I want to understand what information about software quality does a developer need while performing code changes or designing new parts of a system. For understanding the broad research question, I propose three sub-questions, namely (1) How can we conceptualize information needs when dealing with software quality? (2) What information is needed when dealing with software quality? and (3) How can software quality information needs be detected unobtrusively through behavioral patterns? I propose a 24 months plan for a research fellowship comprising of three empirical studies, which will involve 120 students in computer science and the companies Daimler, Porsche, and Bosch. The studies will make use of multidisciplinary research in software engineering and behavioral science. The theoretical results of the execution of this proposal are the software quality information needs theory and instances, which will add to the body of knowledge in software engineering. The practical implications might be large. Providing a software developer with the right kind of information about the current state of and the effect of changes on software quality can prevent catastrophic software failures and avoid opening up security holes. ‡

On the Unhappiness of Software Developers

“…Finally, we see that factors related to information needs in terms of software quality and software construction are strong contributors to unhappiness among developers. This reinforces recent research activities on those aspects (e.g., [25]) and encourages proposed [29] research activities that attempt to merge affective reactions and information needs.…”