A market based approach for resolving resource constrained task allocation problems in a software development process

We consider software development as an economic activity, where goods and services can be modeled as a resource constrained task allocation problem. This paper introduces a market based mechanism to overcome task allocation issues in a software development process. It proposes a mechanism with a prescribed set of rules, where valuation is based on the behaviors of stakeholders such as biding for a task. A bid process ensures that a stakeholder, who values the resource most, will have it allocated for a limited number of times. To observe the bidders behaviors, we initiate an approach incorporated with a process simulation model. Our preliminary results support the idea that our model is useful for optimizing the value based task allocations, creating a market value for the project assets, and for achieving proper allocation of project resources specifically on large scale software projects

A hierarchy of SPI activities for software SMEs: results from ISO/IEC 12207-based SPI assessments

In an assessment of software process improvement (SPI) in 15 software small- and –medium-sized enterprises (software SMEs), we applied the broad spectrum of software specific and system context processes in ISO/IEC 12207 to the task of examining SPI in practice. Using the data collected in the study, we developed a four-tiered pyramidal hierarchy of SPI for software SMEs, with processes in the higher tiers undergoing SPI in more companies than processes on lower level tiers. The development of the hierarchy of SPI activities for software SMEs can facilitate future evolutions of process maturity reference frameworks, such as ISO/IEC 15504, in better supporting software development in software SMEs. Furthermore, the findings extend our body of knowledge concerning the practice of SPI in software SMEs, a large and vital sector of the software development community that has largely avoided the implementation of established process maturity and software quality management standards

Towards a quest-based contextualization process for game-based learning

This study proposes a quest-based contextualization (QBC) process, which transforms part of a traditional lecture into a well-defined questing structure. The goal is to create a learning experience by using a systematic game-based questing approach. The QBC procedure is a set of sequential tasks defined by the game designer to reflect the instructional objectives of the course. It is formed as an interaction perspective from which a game system can be materialized, and which aims to improve the quality of the game flow and the user experience in a game-based learning environment. We claim that a game-based contextualization process can be used to restructure a traditional lecture in terms of educational quests. In particular, it was hypothesized that the design of such a quest-line should be constructed as a questing structure based on the chain of events, which are extracted from lecture notes. In the formulation of this design, the key events were discussed in an interview with an expert (i.e. content specialist) from a target field. This interview was transcribed, and further analyzed using an iterative qualitative approach as an interpretive analysis technique where an inductive proposition is considered for contextualization of data. This research used a thematic analysis methodology to explore the situations, which are suitable for questing and might be expandable into categories. Furthermore, questable points from the data were captured and situational elements and conversational key points were rigorously categorized. After building the initial mapping, we conducted a second interview with the same area expert to refine our preliminary findings. To evaluate our approach from the game design perspective, we sought advice from a small group of game design experts and practitioners who are recognized knowledgeable individuals in educational game development. Based on the opinion of four game design experts, the questing structure was revised and several game elements, such as extra battles, puzzles, and achievements, were added to support the elements of fun. Three of the experts argued that the proposed questing structure was highly educational, while the fourth claimed that such an improvement was partially important. These findings, while preliminary, suggested that a well-defined questing structure should be useful to improve the quality of a game-based learning environment

Understanding personality differences in software organizations using Keirsey Temperament Sorter

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in exploring personality differences to improve work experience in software organisations. This study presents a personality assessment process conducted on 382 software practitioners using the Keirsey temperament sorter II. The primary goal of this assessment is to explore the personality temperaments of software practitioners working in different types of software development organisations. In addition, a novel visualisation approach is proposed for arranging temperaments using a periodic table-like structure. The results suggest that the authors approach provides an effective means to investigate an organisation's personality profile while assessing personality types

The Design Process of a Board Game for Exploring the Territories of the United States

The paper reports the design experience of a board game with an educational aspect, which takes place on the location of states and territories of the United States. Based on a territorial acquisition dynamic, the goal was to articulate the design process of a board game that provides information for individuals who are willing to learn the locations of the U.S. states by playing a game. The game was developed using an iterative design process based on focus groups studies and brainstorming sessions. A mechanic-driven design approach was adopted instead of a theme or setting-driven alternative and a relatively abstract game was developed. The initial design idea was formed and refined according to the player feedback. The paper details play-testing sessions conducted and documents the design experience from a qualitative perspective. Our preliminary results suggest that the initial design is moderately balanced and despite the lack of quantitative evidence, our subjective observations indicate that participants’ knowledge about the location of states was improved in an entertaining and interactive way

A personality type measurement game considered for software development organizations [in Turkish]

Myers-BriggsKişilikGöstergesi(MBKG)yazılımendüstrisindesık kullanılan ölçüm araçlarından birisidir. Yazılım mühendisliği alanında MBKG kullanılarak bir çok kişilik tipi araştırması ve alan çalışması ya- pılmıştır. Ancak bu yöntem bir grup araştırmacı tarafından bireylerin arzu edilen cevapları gerçek düşüncelerine tercih ettikleri yönünde eleş- tirilmiştir. Bütün bu eleştirel görüşlere rağmen, yazılım geliştiren orga- nizasyonlar için özel olarak geliştirilmiş, kullanıcı etkileşimini ön plana çıkartarak bireyleri gerçek kişilik tiplerini ortaya çıkartmak için kullanı- labilecek bir kişilik tipi testi tasarlanmıştır. Bu makalede yazılım geliştiren organizasyonda çalışan bireylerin kişi- lik tiplerini ortaya çıkartmak için üretilmiş bir kişilik ölçüm enstrümanı sunulmaktadır. Bu araç, uygulamalı bir durum çalışması sonucunda, ya- zılım geliştiricilerine özel olarak kurgulanmış, geliştirilen kartlarının yar- dımı ile bireylere ve gruplara interaktif olarak uygulanmıştır. Güvenilirlik ölçümü yapmak için seçilen bir grup katılımcı üzerinde iki ölçüm yapılmış ve elde edilen bulgular sunulmuştur. Sonuçlar göstermektedir ki etkile- şimli bir uygulama klasik MBKG yaklaşımlarına göre önemli avantajlar içerebilmektedir

Oyun Kuramı Kullanarak Yazılım Takımlarının Üretkenliğini Artırmak İçin Geliştirilen Bir Yazılım Süreç Mühendisliği Yaklaşımı

azılım geliştirme süreçleri bilgi ve insan tabanlı aktivitelerdir. Sosyal açından değerlendirildiğinde yazılım geliştiren bireylerin sosyal etkileşimi ve işbirliğine yatkınlığı takım ve organizasyon üretkenliğinin artırılmasını destekleyecek en önemli unsurlar arasındadır. Bu sebeple, özellikle son zamanlarda, yazılım mühendisliği konusunda yapılan birçok çalışma yazılım geliştirme faaliyetlerinde insan faktörünün kritik rolünü vurgulamaktadır. Ekonomi ve sosyoloji bilimlerinde aktif olarak araştırılmakta olan sosyal ağ yapısı ve buna bağlı olarak incelenen davranış analizi kavramları yazılım mühendisliği araştırmalarında henüz yaygın bir uygulama alanı bulamamıştır. Özellikle sosyal ve ekonomik karar ve kişilik analizlerinde sıkça kullanılan bu kavramların yazılım mühendisliğine uygulanması yazılım firmalarının üretkenliğini, dolayısı ile yatırım karlılıklarının artırılmasını mümkün kılacaktır. Bu makalede, ekonomi alanında birçok uygulaması bulunan oyun kuramının bir alt dalı olan mekanizma tasarımı kullanılarak geliştirmekte olduğumuz bir süreç mühendisliği yaklaşımı anlatılmaktadır. Bu yaklaşım kullanılarak, yazılım geliştiren organizasyonların yapısının iyileştirilmesi ve buna bağlı olarak üretkenliklerinin artırılması hedeflenmektedir

Učinak sirutke i propolisa na pokazatelje rasta, krvnu sliku i proljev u jaradi

This study was conducted to obtain an alternative, more economical and healthier milk substitute feed by adding whey powder and propolis to cow’s milk in goat kid rearing. Forty Saanen goat kids born in the same period were divided into 4 groups, 7 days after their birth. The kids were divided into 4 groups of 10, with 10 in the control group (CG) who were kept together with their mothers, and in experimental groups 1-2-3 (EG1, EG2, EG3) who were kept in separate sections. Kids in all three experimental groups were fed with only the milk substitute (cow’s milk+whey powder+water). In groups EG2 and EG3, the kids were given 0. 4 cc and 0. 2 cc propolis respectively in addition to the milk substitute once a day. The growth and development parameters and rectal temperatures of the kids were measured once a week, and morning and evening diarrhea scorings were taken in all groups. Biochemical and hematological analyses were performed. According to all the results obtained, the differences in body temperatures and in the glucose and urea values between the groups were found to be significant (P <0.05). Each group was evaluated within itself, RBC analysis results were found to be significant in all groups. The insignificant difference between the average growth and development parameters of the kids in the EG and in the CG was an important finding in growing kids more economically and reserving goat’s milk for more profitable procedures. According to the diarrhea scores, it was observed that propolis was effective against diarrhea, and it was concluded that it could be used in raising kids as a preventive measure. Feeding kids with the milk substitute was found to be more economical than feeding them with their mother’s milk. As a result of this study, it could be suggested that the use of milk substitutes containing whey and propolis will positively affect the growth, development and health of goat kids.Ovo je istraživanje provedeno kako bi se pronašla ekonomičnija i zdravija zamjenska hrana za mlijeko u uzgoju koza, i to dodavanjem sirutke u prahu i propolisa kravljem mlijeku. Ukupno 40 jaradi sanske pasmine ojarenih u isto vrijeme podijeljeno je u četiri skupine po deset jedinki, sedam dana nakon jarenja. Kontrolna skupina od 10 jaradi (CG) držana je sa svojim majkama, dok su tri pokusne skupine (EG1, EG2, EG3) bile odvojene od majki. Jarad u svim trima pokusnim skupinama hranjeni su zamjenskim mlijekom (kravlje mlijeko, sirutka u prahu i voda). U skupini EG2 jarad je dobivala 0,4 cc propolisa, a u skupini EG3 0,2 cc propolisa dodanog u zamjensko mlijeko jedanput na dan. Pokazatelji rasta i razvoja te rektalna temperatura mjereni su jedanput tjedno. U svim su skupinama uzeti uzorci proljeva u jutarnjim i večernjim satima te su provedene biokemijske i hematološke pretrage. Dobivenim rezultatima ustanovljene su znakovite razlike u temperaturi tijela te vrijednostima glukoze i ureje među skupinama (P<0,05). Analizirane su jedinke unutar svake skupine te se pokazalo da su vrijednosti eritrocita znakovite u svim skupinama. Razlika među pokazateljima rasta i razvoja jaradi u pokusnim skupinama i kontrolnoj skupini, koja nije bila znakovita, važno je otkriće koje upućuje na to da se kozje mlijeko može sačuvati za isplativije namjene. Zapaženo je da je propolis učinkovit u slučaju proljeva te se može preventivno davati. Uočeno je i da je hranjenje jaradi mliječnom zamjenom ekonomičnije od kozjeg – majčina mlijeka. Ovo istraživanje pokazuje da primjena zamjene za mlijeko, uz dodatak sirutke i propolisa, pozitivno utječe na rast, razvoj i zdravlje jaradi