Revisiting Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Needed for Development and Delivery Project Staff

This paper is grounded on the proposition that quality and timeliness of provisioning business information system solutions can be advanced by staffing development projects with personnel based on appropriate task related Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics (KSA-P). Defining a standard repeatable process for such staffing decisions requires a consistent classification scheme for the KSA-Ps, which this paper develops through a meta-analysis of the relevant literature. A nominal group of CIOs and consulting principals provide additional support for the validity of the classification scheme. The role of general and specific experience in skill and ability development is explored. Implications and future directions of the research are discussed

Evolution of Software Engineers’ Personality Profile

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) has been applied to several studies that explore various dimensions of human factors in software engineering. Accordingly, this work reviews the results of these studies to explore existing trends. In order to attain a greater understanding of human resources in the software industry, we have reviewed sixteen studies that had been performed between 1985 and 2011. This review concludes that the changes in the complexity of software processes and products have created new roles and demanded new skills for software engineers

Does Personality Play a Role in Computer Information Systems Performance?

This study represents an analysis of student performance in computer information systems (CIS) courses and the potential influence of Jungian personality traits on academic success in CIS courses. For this study, academic success is measured by grades achieved. The MBTI measurement scale was self-analyzed by students in CIS courses from fall 2008 through spring 2013. The data showed a statistically significant correlation between various personality dichotomies of the type (Extraversion-Introversion, Sensing-Intuition, Thinking-Feeling, and JudgingPerceiving) and higher grades scores. The results of this study indicate that course performance of groups of students are different relative to their personality type. In this study, Thinking type students performed better than Feeling types, and Judgers performed better than Perceivers

A Longitudinal Study of CIS Students, Course Performance and MBTI Personality Types

This research is a longitudinal study of Jungian personality traits and academic success of students enrolled in Computer Information Systems (CIS) courses. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) measurement scale was self-analyzed by students in CIS courses from fall 2001 through spring 2013. The results of this study indicate that both Extroverts and Judgers have increased as percentage of enrollment between 2001-2003 and 2012-2013. There was no change in academic success, as measured by grades achieved, by personality type from 2001-2003 and 2012-2013

Indications of Personality Trait Difference between ICT and Other Students

The paper reports on a survey undertaken amongst first year students who were taking introductory courses in departments within Schools of IT at two South African universities. The purpose of the survey was to understand factors influencing career choice and how educationalists could use this to encourage enrollment in computer-related degree programmes. This paper considers association of values with chosen careers, other career outcomes that students consider important and their perceptions regarding personal characteristics of ICT students. The responses of students who intend taking computer-related courses up to third year and those who are taking other majors are compared. Gender is also considered. Significant differences were discovered and are associated with a variety of different theories that are broadly related to personal characteristics and personality (Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Five Factors Model). An INTJ profile for males and an INFJ profile for female students intending to major in computer-related courses seem to emerge. Low Power Distance, low Uncertainty Avoidance, and high Masculinity are tentatively proposed as cultural dimensions of the ICT career culture

Assessing personality types preferences amongst software developers: A case of Malaysia

This paper aims to present personality types preferences among software developers in Northern region of Malaysia.Knowledge in human factor personality types is significant in order to assist project manager for making decision on the right personality types that suit into job tasks assigned to software developers.In addition, there is growing awareness on applying agile methodology during software development.This software methodology claimed to be acknowledged human weaknesses and strengths and thus, has great potential in improving software development effectiveness.Therefore, this study also seeks to compare personality type’s preferences amongst agile and non-agile software developers.A questionnaire that includes personality test questions was distributed amongst 81 software developers that working in the software industry. Results demonstrated that the software developers are mostly Introvert (I) personality types. Furthermore, the dimensions of Intuitive (N), Thinking (T), and Judging (J) are dominant personality types among software developers regardless of software methodology used. This study provides an insight into personality type’s preferences that can guide human resource manager to select the suitable candidate for specific tasks in order to improve team performance.Future studies will be carried out to collect more empirical data and to build software team personality types composition model

Identifying Exceptional Application Software Developers: A Comparison of Students and Professionals

Exceptional application software developers are a scarce resource. It is therefore important for employers to identify, retain, and cultivate individuals who exhibit this capacity. This study compared the personality characteristics of exceptional, experienced application software developers with the personality characteristics of junior and senior level IS and CS students (who can be seen as entry-level, or pre-entry level, IT developers). We used the Adjective Checklist to measure personality characteristics for all subjects, then mapped the resultant scales to the Five Factor Model of Personality. The results of this study suggest that exceptional application software developers exhibit significantly higher levels of Extraversion and Conscientiousness. Exceptional students (as determined by GPA), however, were actually found to be introverted. Thus, when GPA is used to pre-screen or filter for entry-level positions, recruiters may actually be excluding some of those candidates who are most likely to become exceptional application software developers. These results have implications for understanding and managing the recruiting of IT personnel and their progression from entry level (novice) to more experienced positions