Enhancement of experiential learning in software factory project-based course

AbstractTo better prepare the next generation of software professional, it is important to provide opportunities for them to work on real software project along with real customer during their studies. This is the reason universities around the world offer project-based capstone course. Such courses help students to understand what they will face in the industry and experience real customer interaction and challenges in collaborative work. In regards, University of Oulu, Finland offers a software factory (SWF) course to enhance the learning and experience multicultural teamwork. This paper presents the design of the SWF course and student and teacher experiences. It discusses the importance of reflective learning diaries and serious games. Additionally, this paper examines factors in the SWF learning environment that affect student learning in the SWF course. Survey data were collected from the last 6 years of SWF projects. The results show that students consider the SWF to be a good collaborative learning environment that helps them achieve academic triumphs and enhances various professional skills. The learning diaries are effective for increasing students’ learning experiences as well as providing an opportunity for teaching staff to monitor students’ progress and offer better facilitation. These results are helpful for academic institutions and industry when developing such a learning environment.Abstract To better prepare the next generation of software professional, it is important to provide opportunities for them to work on real software project along with real customer during their studies. This is the reason universities around the world offer project-based capstone course. Such courses help students to understand what they will face in the industry and experience real customer interaction and challenges in collaborative work. In regards, University of Oulu, Finland offers a software factory (SWF) course to enhance the learning and experience multicultural teamwork. This paper presents the design of the SWF course and student and teacher experiences. It discusses the importance of reflective learning diaries and serious games. Additionally, this paper examines factors in the SWF learning environment that affect student learning in the SWF course. Survey data were collected from the last 6 years of SWF projects. The results show that students consider the SWF to be a good collaborative learning environment that helps them achieve academic triumphs and enhances various professional skills. The learning diaries are effective for increasing students’ learning experiences as well as providing an opportunity for teaching staff to monitor students’ progress and offer better facilitation. These results are helpful for academic institutions and industry when developing such a learning environment

Software Factory Project for Enhancement of Student Experimental Learning

AbstractProviding opportunities for students to work on real-world software development projects for real customers is critical to prepare students for the IT industry. Such projects help students to understand what they will face in the industry and experience real customer interaction and challenges in collaborative work. To provide this opportunity in an academic environment and enhance the learning and multicultural teamwork experience, the University of Oulu, Finland offers the software factory (SWF) project. This paper presents the design of the SWF course and the learning environment and assessment techniques, and it discusses the importance of reflective learning diaries and serious games. Additionally, this paper examines factors in the SWF learning environment that affect student learning in the SWF course. Survey data were collected from the last six years of SWF projects. The results show that students consider the SWF to be a good collaborative learning environment that helps them achieve academic triumphs and enhances various professional skills. The learning diaries are effective for increasing students learning experiences as well as providing an opportunity for teaching staff to monitor students progress and offer better facilitation. These results are helpful for academic institutions and industry when developing such a learning environment.Abstract Providing opportunities for students to work on real-world software development projects for real customers is critical to prepare students for the IT industry. Such projects help students to understand what they will face in the industry and experience real customer interaction and challenges in collaborative work. To provide this opportunity in an academic environment and enhance the learning and multicultural teamwork experience, the University of Oulu, Finland offers the software factory (SWF) project. This paper presents the design of the SWF course and the learning environment and assessment techniques, and it discusses the importance of reflective learning diaries and serious games. Additionally, this paper examines factors in the SWF learning environment that affect student learning in the SWF course. Survey data were collected from the last six years of SWF projects. The results show that students consider the SWF to be a good collaborative learning environment that helps them achieve academic triumphs and enhances various professional skills. The learning diaries are effective for increasing students learning experiences as well as providing an opportunity for teaching staff to monitor students progress and offer better facilitation. These results are helpful for academic institutions and industry when developing such a learning environment

Social Sustainability and Large-Scale Agile Software Development

Large Scale Agile (LSA) projects present unique challenges in maintaining a positive and sustainable work environment. This study examines the social sustainability factors that influence the LSA project. A multiple case study approach was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with software professionals working in three Swedish IT companies. Thematic analysis revealed a network of interrelated eight factors that impact social sustainability in LSA projects, including trust and communication, learning culture, self-organisation, decision-making, leadership behaviour, and psychological safety. This study emphasises the human-centred aspects that are crucial for the successful implementation of LSA projects and the enhancement of social sustainability

ICT SUPPORTING HEALTHCARE FOR CHINESE ELDERLY AT HOME: PERSPECTIVES OF INFORMAL CAREGIVERS AND PROFESSIONALS

Informal caregivers are a significant resource when elderly people need assistance and support to remain living at home. Today, state-of-the-art technology provides the possibilities of applying ways to ease the workload and make it possible to stay at home instead of living in an institutional care setting, such as hospitals or special sheltered accommodations. The current study analysed how information and communication technology (ICT) could support healthcare in Chinese homes from the perspectives of informal caregivers and healthcare professionals. The study focused on elderly people who benefit from caregiving or need personal assistance to help them live at home. A mapping study was conducted to identify existing ICT solutions, and qualitative semi-structured interviews were performed to obtain the perspectives of informal caregivers and professionals. The contributions were identified as objectives of using ICT solutions, relatives’ feedback on ICT solutions, opinions about popular ICT solutions and thoughts about future ICT solutions. The empirical study revealed that alarming, communication, monitoring, positioning and assistance are the most important reasons to acquire and apply ICT-based support for elderly people living at home

Team performance and large scale agile software development

Software development is a team work and largely dependent on open social interaction and continuous learning of individuals. Drawing on well established theoretical concepts proposed by social psychology and organizational science disciplines, we develop a theoretical framework proposing that team climate has a significant influence on team learning and ultimately affects team performance. Our study consists of two goals. First to understand the preconditions of team learning and second to investigate the relationship between team learning, psychological safety, and team performance in large scale agile software development projects. We plan to conduct a survey with software professionals in Sweden from three companies partners in pur large-scale agile research project.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, conference, ESEM, Register Repor

Development Of a Measurement Instrument for Process Debt Detection in Agile Software Development Organizations

This paper explores the concept of Process Debt (PD) in Agile Software Development (ASD) organizations. Drawing on the analogy with Technical Debt, PD is defined as the challenges that emerge from suboptimal or outdated processes, which can significantly hinder an organization\u27s adaptability and software delivery effectiveness. The study proposes a survey instrument, designed to measure various types of PD based on existing research and expert interviews. Five types of PD are identified and operationalized: Process Unsuitability Debt, Synchronization Debt, Roles Debt, (Process) Documentation Debt, and Infrastructure Debt. The instrument\u27s reliability and validity are assessed through a multi-stage process, culminating in a field survey within two ASD organizations. The findings significantly contribute to our understanding of PD and provide the first version of a validated tool for researchers and practitioners to identify and measure PD in their organizations

Business Analytics Continuance in Software Development Projects : A Preliminary Analysis

AbstractThis paper investigates factors affecting business analytics (BA) in software and systems development projects. This is the first study to examine business analytics continuance in projects from Pakistani software professional’s perspective. The data was collected from 186 Pakistani software professionals working in software and systems development projects. The data was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling techniques. Our structural model is able to explain 40% variance of BA continuance intention, 62% variance of satisfaction, 69% variance of technological compatibility, and 59% variance of perceived usefulness. Technological compatibility and perceived usefulness are the significant factors that can affect BA continuance intention in software and systems projects. Surprisingly the results show that satisfaction does not affect BA continuance intention.Abstract This paper investigates factors affecting business analytics (BA) in software and systems development projects. This is the first study to examine business analytics continuance in projects from Pakistani software professional’s perspective. The data was collected from 186 Pakistani software professionals working in software and systems development projects. The data was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling techniques. Our structural model is able to explain 40% variance of BA continuance intention, 62% variance of satisfaction, 69% variance of technological compatibility, and 59% variance of perceived usefulness. Technological compatibility and perceived usefulness are the significant factors that can affect BA continuance intention in software and systems projects. Surprisingly the results show that satisfaction does not affect BA continuance intention

Antecedents to achieve Kanban optimum benefits in software companies

AbstractIn 2004, Kanban successfully entered into the Agile and Lean realm. Since then software companies have been increasingly using it in software development teams. The goal of this study is to perform an empirical investigation on antecedents considered as important for achieving optimum benefits of Kanban use and to discuss the practical implications of the findings. We conducted an online survey with software professionals from the Lean Software Development LinkedIn community to investigate the importance of antecedents of using Kanban for achieving optimum benefits. Our study reveals that subjective norm, organizational support, ease of use, Kanban use experience and training are the antecedents for achieving expected benefits of Kanban. The potential benefits of Kanban use can only be realized when the key antecedents are not only identified, but also infused across an organization. When managing the transition to or using Kanban, practitioners need to adapt their strategies on the extent of various antecedents, a few identified in this study.Abstract In 2004, Kanban successfully entered into the Agile and Lean realm. Since then software companies have been increasingly using it in software development teams. The goal of this study is to perform an empirical investigation on antecedents considered as important for achieving optimum benefits of Kanban use and to discuss the practical implications of the findings. We conducted an online survey with software professionals from the Lean Software Development LinkedIn community to investigate the importance of antecedents of using Kanban for achieving optimum benefits. Our study reveals that subjective norm, organizational support, ease of use, Kanban use experience and training are the antecedents for achieving expected benefits of Kanban. The potential benefits of Kanban use can only be realized when the key antecedents are not only identified, but also infused across an organization. When managing the transition to or using Kanban, practitioners need to adapt their strategies on the extent of various antecedents, a few identified in this study

Software development methodologies and practices in start-ups

AbstractSoftware start-ups are aiming to develop cutting-edge software products under highly uncertain conditions, overcoming fast-growing markets under multiple influences. This study aims to identify and analyse the existing scientific literature regarding software development methodologies and practices in software start-ups published between January 2006 and December 2017 using the systematic mapping study. The results identified 37 relevant primary studies out of 1982 papers. To validate the results from the mapping study, an empirical study was based on the research data collected from 14 real-life software start-ups located in Finland, Italy and Norway. The result shows that Agile and Lean start-up methodologies are the most commonly used in software start-ups due to the flexible nature and easy tailoring. A total of 144 software development work practices are extracted from the primary studies. This study contributes to the research in several ways: (i) provides state of the art regarding software development methods and practices in software start-up contexts, (ii) reports commonly used methods along with its benefits identified in primary studies and (iii) identifies opportunities for future software start-up research.Abstract Software start-ups are aiming to develop cutting-edge software products under highly uncertain conditions, overcoming fast-growing markets under multiple influences. This study aims to identify and analyse the existing scientific literature regarding software development methodologies and practices in software start-ups published between January 2006 and December 2017 using the systematic mapping study. The results identified 37 relevant primary studies out of 1982 papers. To validate the results from the mapping study, an empirical study was based on the research data collected from 14 real-life software start-ups located in Finland, Italy and Norway. The result shows that Agile and Lean start-up methodologies are the most commonly used in software start-ups due to the flexible nature and easy tailoring. A total of 144 software development work practices are extracted from the primary studies. This study contributes to the research in several ways: (i) provides state of the art regarding software development methods and practices in software start-up contexts, (ii) reports commonly used methods along with its benefits identified in primary studies and (iii) identifies opportunities for future software start-up research

Comparing Communication Effort within the Scrum, Scrum with Kanban, XP, and Banana Development Processes

AbstractContext: Communication plays an important role in any development process. However, communication overhead has been rarely compared among development processes.Objective: The goal of this work is to compare the communication overhead and the different channels applied in three agile processes (XP, Scrum, Scrum with Kanban) and in an unstructured process.Method: We designed an empirical study asking four teams to develop the same application with the four development processes, and we compare the communication overhead among them.Results: As expected, face-to-face communication is most frequently employed in the teams. Scrum with Kanban turned out to be the process that requires the least communication. Unexpectedly, despite requiring much more time to develop the same application, the unstructured process required comparable communication overhead (25% of the total development time) as the agile processes.Abstract Context: Communication plays an important role in any development process. However, communication overhead has been rarely compared among development processes. Objective: The goal of this work is to compare the communication overhead and the different channels applied in three agile processes (XP, Scrum, Scrum with Kanban) and in an unstructured process. Method: We designed an empirical study asking four teams to develop the same application with the four development processes, and we compare the communication overhead among them. Results: As expected, face-to-face communication is most frequently employed in the teams. Scrum with Kanban turned out to be the process that requires the least communication. Unexpectedly, despite requiring much more time to develop the same application, the unstructured process required comparable communication overhead (25% of the total development time) as the agile processes