Human subject research ethics in software engineering

Ética na pesquisa com seres humanos é tema de discussão desde o final da Segunda Guerra Mundial. Desde então, as ciências sociais e de saúde estabeleceram uma base sólida para a minimização dos riscos aos sujeitos da pesquisa. Um elemento chave para a proteção dos sujeitos são os Comitês de Ética em Pesquisa (CEPs), que analisam os projetos quanto ao atendimento aos princípios de ética. Cada vez mais, as pesquisas e atividades industriais em Engenharia de Software (ES) envolvem seres humanos, mas esses projetos raramente são submetidos a CEPs. O modelo estabelecido para a análise dos projetos de pesquisa por comitês de ética foi baseado nas pesquisas em saúde, em que pode haver risco à vida e à saúde das pessoas. Embora os riscos nas pesquisas de ES sejam reduzidos, esses projetos também têm o potencial de causar dano a pessoas. Este artigo discute a necessidade de submissão a CEPs dos projetos de ES com envolvimento de seres humanos. Recursos de apoio ao pesquisador são propostos para se levarem em conta os riscos mais comuns nestes projetos.Palavras-chave: ética em pesquisa com seres humanos, engenharia de software.Human subject research ethics is a matter of regulation since the end of World War II. Since then, social and health sciences have established a sound basis for reducing risks in the involvement of human beings in research. A key factor for human subjects’ protection is the Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that analyze if a given project respects ethical principles. Presently, Software Engineering research and industrial activities systematically involve people, but these projects are seldom submitted to IRBs. The established model for research project analysis by ethics committees has been based on healthrelated researches, in which risks to human life and health can be threatening. Although risks are lower, Software Engineering projects can bring harm to people. This paper discusses the need of submission of Software Engineering projects that involve humans to IRBs. Resources to aid the researcher in considering common risks in such projects are proposed.Keywords: research with human subjects, ethics, software engineering

Empowerment of Assistive Technologies with Mobile Devices in a DUI Ecosystem

AbstractEven though mobile devices already play an important role in assisting people with disabilities in their daily and professional lives, there are opportunities to further advances by developing assistive technology with Distributed User Interfaces (DUIs). DUIs empower not only the individual but also the environment. In order to support exploration of this concept, we present a mobile application developed with DUI characteristics in an educational context. We discuss achieved results in the light of the empowerment objective

Human-Data Interaction Syllabus for Undergraduate and Graduate Courses

The phenomenon of the data deluge is a reality and the volume of data produced by people and companies is much greater than what can be handled and analyzed. Data play a crucial role in guiding the efficient utilization of technological resources for companies, aiding them in product and service management. Moreover, individuals who have become adept data producers and consumers are increasingly orienting their lives toward data. To address this evolving trend, there is a growing imperative to educate Computing professionals. These professionals are required to design technology solutions that facilitate the synergy between individuals and data, a phenomenon known as Human-Data Interaction (HDI). This paper introduces a suggested minimum syllabus for HDI courses, with the aim of addressing the key themes associated with the interaction between individuals and data. The complexity and depth of HDI topics justify a dedicated course, preventing the risk of essential content being fragmented or inadequately covered if dispersed across different courses

Contributions of remote collaborative sketching to the design of infovis in public health

This paper presents contributions from using remote collaborative sketching to infovis for public health. The results come from an interdisciplinary study that involved designers, health researchers, public managers and computer scientists in the production of sketches generating alternatives for creating valuable graphics and dashboards. One of the creative stages was the remote collaborative workshops in which design alternatives were proposed based on sketches. The sketches were developed with the support of videoconferencing meetings, virtual boards, and graphic tablets. From this practice, we were able to include as contributions to the creative process in infovis: remote collaboration expansion; agile and iterative cycles improvement; interface design preview; data modeling supporting; addressing graphic literacy issues; creative process documentation; participant experience improvement; and additional information incorporation

Video Lecture Design and Student Engagement: Analysis of Visual Attention, Affect, Satisfaction, and Learning Outcomes

The growing availability of online multimedia instructions, such as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) mark a revolutionary new phase in the use of technology for education. Considering the high student attrition in MOOCs, it is crucial to study how students engage and disengage during their learning experience in relation to the video lecture design. The present study conducted a pilot user experiment (n = 24) to evaluate in a multimodal way which video lecture design is more effective for learning. Two video lecture designs were scrutinized: voice over slides, and slides overlaid by picture-in-picture instructor video. The experimental setup included different tracking technologies and sensorial modalities to gather synchronized data from the learning experience: eye-tracker, Kinect, frontal camera, and screen recording. Among the measures, eye-gaze observational data, facial expressions, and self-reported perceptions were analyzed and compared against the learning assessment results. Based on these results, engagement is discussed regarding the different video lecture designs by connecting the observational and self-reported data to the short-term learning outcomes

Enem Acessível: Autonomia para a Pessoa com Deficiência Visual Total no Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio

RESUMO: atualmente, para pessoa com deficiência visual total realizar o Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio (ENEM), disponibilizam-se materiais adaptados e auxílio humano, este com a finalidade de leitura da prova, preenchimento de gabaritos e transcrição da redação. Consequentemente, para a realização da prova, a pessoa com deficiência depende fortemente de outras pessoas. O objetivo deste estudo é identificar as questões de acessibilidade existentes no processo atual do ENEM e apresentar uma solução que, por meio de um aplicativo com acessibilidade digital denominado ENEM Acessível, viabiliza a participação da pessoa com deficiência visual total com autonomia no exame. Com base na metodologia de Projeto Centrado no Usuário e em pesquisa de levantamento qualitativa, o aplicativo foi especificado, construído e avaliado. Os resultados do estudo, que contou com a participação de 33 pessoas com deficiência visual total em suas várias etapas, demonstram que as barreiras de comunicação atualmente existentes podem ser eliminadas com o uso do computador e do aplicativo ENEM Acessível, permitindo que pessoas com deficiência visual total realizem a prova de ingresso no Ensino Superior com autonomia e em condições de igualdade com os demais participantes

Accessible Enem: Autonomy for the Person with Total Visual Impairment in the Brazilian High School National Examination

<p></p><p>ABSTRACT: Currently, for the visually impaired person to complete the Brazilian High School National Examination (called ENEM), adapted material and human assistance are available, the latter with the purpose of reading the test, template filling and piece of writing transcription. Consequently, the disabled person depends heavily on other people for completing the test. In this sense, the objective of this study is to identify the accessibility issues that exist in the current ENEM process and to present a solution that, through an application with digital accessibility called Accessible ENEM, enables the participation of the person with total visual impairment with autonomy in the examination. Based on the User Centered Design methodology and qualitative survey research, the application has been specified, constructed, and evaluated. The results of the study, which involved the participation of 33 people with total visual impairment in its various stages, demonstrate that the existing communication barriers may be eliminated with the use of the computer and the Accessible ENEM application, allowing people with visual impairment to complete the Higher Education entrance exam with autonomy and in equal conditions in relation to the other participants.</p><p></p

Performance Analysis Method for Robotic Process Automation

Recent studies show that decision making in Business Process Management (BPM) and incorporating sustainability in business is vital for service innovation within a company. Likewise, it is also possible to save time and money in an automated, intelligent and sustainable way. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is one solution that can help businesses improve their BPM and sustainability practices through digital transformation. However, deciding which processes to automate with RPA technology can be complex. Consequently, this paper presents a model for selecting indicators to determine the profitability of shifting to RPA in selected business processes. The method used in this work is the Performance Analysis Method, which allows for predicting which processes could be replaced by RPA to save time and money in a service workflow. The Performance Analysis Method consists of collecting data on the speed and efficiency of a business process and then using that data to develop discrete event simulations to estimate the cost of automating parts of that process. A case study using this model is presented, using business process data from an international utility company as input to the discrete event simulation. The model used in this study predicts that this Electric Utility Company (EUC) will save a substantial amount of money if it implements RPA in its call center