Uncovering sustainability concerns in software product lines

Sustainable living, i.e., living within the bounds of the available environmental, social, and economic resources, is the focus of many present-day social and scientific discussions. But what does sustainability mean within the context of Software Engineering? In this paper we undertake a comprehensive analysis of 8 case studies to address this question within the context of a specific SE approach, Software Product Line Engineering (SPLE). We identify the sustainability-related characteristics that arise in present-day studies that apply SPLE. We conclude that technical and economic sustainability are in prime focus on the present SPLE practice, with social sustainability issues, where they relate to organisations, also addressed to a good degree. On the other hand, the issues related to the personal sustainability are less prominent, and environmental considerations are nearly completely amiss. We present feature models and cross-relations that result from our analysis as a starting point for sustainability engineering through SPLE, suggesting that any new development should consider how these models would be instantiated and expanded for the intended socio-technical system. The good representation of sustainability features in these models is also validated with two additional case studies

Software sustainability from a user perspective: A case study of a developing country (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)

Interest in sustainable development is increasing. Understanding the user’s perspective toward software sustainability helps to enhance understanding of the concept. The need for developing countries to enhance their ICT infrastructure to align with United Nation (UN) sustainable development goals increases the necessity to understand the current perception of software users, industry and sustainability experts, to improve the level of software sustainability. Software sustainability has a number of challenges with regard to adoption by software users. This study investigates software sustainability from the point of view of users in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) by addressing four scales, namely beliefs, intention, attitude and perceptions toward using sustainable software. It also addresses key barriers to sustainable software, such as lack of awareness and difficulty of recognising sustainable software

Sustainable software engineering education curricula development

Climate change risk and environmental degradation are the most critical issues of our society. Our technology influenced daily life style involves many software and apps which are used by large society and their use is increasing than ever before. Sustainability is a significant topic for future professionals and more so for Information Technology (IT) professionals and software engineers due to its impact on the society. It is significant to motivate and raise concern among students and faculty members regarding sustainability by including it into Software Engineering curriculum. Key words: Sustainability, Sustainable Software Engineering, Curricula, Software Engineering.publishedVersio

Situational factors for modern code review to support software engineers' sustainability

Software engineers working in Modern Code Review (MCR) are confronted with the issue of lack of competency in the identification of situational factors. MCR is a software engineering activity for the identification and fixation of defects before the delivery of the software product. This issue can be a threat to the individual sustainability of software engineers and it can be addressed by situational awareness. Therefore, the objective of the study is to identify situational factors concerning the MCR process. Systematic Literature Review (SLR) has been used to identify situational factors. Data coding along with continuous comparison and memoing procedures of grounded theory and expert review has been used to produce an exclusive and validated list of situational factors grouped under categories. The study results conveyed 23 situational factors that are grouped into 5 broad categories i.e. People, Organization, Technology, Source Code and Project. The study is valuable for researchers to extend the research and for software engineers to identify situations and sustain for longer

Maritime Cybersecurity Strategies for Information Technology Specialists

Dependence on digital technology increases cyber-related risks for maritime industries. As a result, the U.S. Coast Guard network is challenged with maritime cybersecurity, both economically and for national security. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies information technology (IT) specialists use to implement standard practices for ensuring cyber security. The participants included six IT specialists who have successfully implemented standard practices for maritime organizations in Virginia and West Virginia. Data were collected from individual semistructured interviews and a review of 12 external organizational documents available to the public from IT specialists. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, and three major themes emerged (a) adhering to network compliance, (b) promoting adopting cybersecurity standards and best practices, and (c) enhancing cybersecurity awareness and policies. One recommendation is for organizations to provide a strategic plan, incorporate network segmentation, and adopt crucial strategies as best practices. The implications for positive social change include the potential reduction of unauthorized exposure to maritime industry operations, improved cybersecurity awareness to better cyber-related practices, and privacy protections for the targeted population

Maritime Cybersecurity Strategies for Information Technology Specialists

Dependence on digital technology increases cyber-related risks for maritime industries. As a result, the U.S. Coast Guard network is challenged with maritime cybersecurity, both economically and for national security. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies information technology (IT) specialists use to implement standard practices for ensuring cyber security. The participants included six IT specialists who have successfully implemented standard practices for maritime organizations in Virginia and West Virginia. Data were collected from individual semistructured interviews and a review of 12 external organizational documents available to the public from IT specialists. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, and three major themes emerged (a) adhering to network compliance, (b) promoting adopting cybersecurity standards and best practices, and (c) enhancing cybersecurity awareness and policies. One recommendation is for organizations to provide a strategic plan, incorporate network segmentation, and adopt crucial strategies as best practices. The implications for positive social change include the potential reduction of unauthorized exposure to maritime industry operations, improved cybersecurity awareness to better cyber-related practices, and privacy protections for the targeted population