Towards an understanding of developers' perceptions of transparency in software development: A preliminary study

Humphrey O. Obie; Juliet Ukwella; Kashumi Madampe; John Grundy; Mojtaba Shahin

doi:10.1109/ASEW60602.2023.00010

Towards an understanding of developers' perceptions of transparency in software development: A preliminary study

Humphrey O. Obie, Juliet Ukwella, Kashumi Madampe, John Grundy, Mojtaba Shahin

Department of Software Systems & Cybersecurity

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Research › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Software applications play an increasingly critical role in various aspects of our lives, from communication and entertainment to business and health care. As these applications become more pervasive, the importance of considering human values in software development has gained significant attention. In this preliminary study, we investigate developers' perceptions and experiences related to human values, with a focus on the human value of transparency. We interviewed five experienced developers and conducted thematic analysis to explore how devel-opers perceive transparency, violations of transparency, and the process of fixing reported violations of transparency. Our findings reveal the significance of transparency as a fundamental value in software development, with developers recognising its importance for building trust, promoting accountability, and fostering ethical practices. Developers recognise the negative consequences of the violation of the human value of transparency and follow a systematic process to fix reported violations. This includes investigation, root cause analysis, corrective action planning, collaborative problem-solving, and testing and verification. These preliminary findings contribute to the understanding of transparency in software development and provide insights for promoting ethical practices.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings - 2023 38th IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering Workshops, ASEW 2023
Editors	Mohan Baruwal Chhetri, Xiao Liu, Marthie Grobler, Thuong Hoang, Karen Renaud, Chetan Arora
Place of Publication	Piscataway NJ USA
Publisher	IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Pages	40-45
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Electronic)	9798350330328
ISBN (Print)	9798350330335
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/ASEW60602.2023.00010
Publication status	Published - 2023
Event	Workshop on Human-Centric Software Engineering and Cyber Security 2023 - Echternach, Luxembourg Duration: 11 Sept 2023 → 11 Sept 2023 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/10298259/proceeding (Proceedings) https://conf.researchr.org/track/ase-2023/ase-2023--workshop--hcse-cs? (Website)

Conference

Conference	Workshop on Human-Centric Software Engineering and Cyber Security 2023
Abbreviated title	HCSE-CS 2023
Country/Territory	Luxembourg
City	Echternach
Period	11/09/23 → 11/09/23
Internet address	https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/10298259/proceeding (Proceedings) https://conf.researchr.org/track/ase-2023/ase-2023--workshop--hcse-cs? (Website)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Human values
software engineering
transparency

Access to Document

10.1109/ASEW60602.2023.00010

Cite this

Obie, H. O., Ukwella, J., Madampe, K., Grundy, J., & Shahin, M. (2023). Towards an understanding of developers' perceptions of transparency in software development: A preliminary study. In M. Baruwal Chhetri, X. Liu, M. Grobler, T. Hoang, K. Renaud, & C. Arora (Eds.), Proceedings - 2023 38th IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering Workshops, ASEW 2023 (pp. 40-45). IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. https://doi.org/10.1109/ASEW60602.2023.00010

Obie, Humphrey O. ; Ukwella, Juliet ; Madampe, Kashumi et al. / Towards an understanding of developers' perceptions of transparency in software development : A preliminary study. Proceedings - 2023 38th IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering Workshops, ASEW 2023. editor / Mohan Baruwal Chhetri ; Xiao Liu ; Marthie Grobler ; Thuong Hoang ; Karen Renaud ; Chetan Arora. Piscataway NJ USA : IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2023. pp. 40-45

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abstract = "Software applications play an increasingly critical role in various aspects of our lives, from communication and entertainment to business and health care. As these applications become more pervasive, the importance of considering human values in software development has gained significant attention. In this preliminary study, we investigate developers' perceptions and experiences related to human values, with a focus on the human value of transparency. We interviewed five experienced developers and conducted thematic analysis to explore how devel-opers perceive transparency, violations of transparency, and the process of fixing reported violations of transparency. Our findings reveal the significance of transparency as a fundamental value in software development, with developers recognising its importance for building trust, promoting accountability, and fostering ethical practices. Developers recognise the negative consequences of the violation of the human value of transparency and follow a systematic process to fix reported violations. This includes investigation, root cause analysis, corrective action planning, collaborative problem-solving, and testing and verification. These preliminary findings contribute to the understanding of transparency in software development and provide insights for promoting ethical practices.",

keywords = "Human values, software engineering, transparency",

author = "Obie, \{Humphrey O.\} and Juliet Ukwella and Kashumi Madampe and John Grundy and Mojtaba Shahin",

note = "Funding Information: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work is supported by ARC Discovery Grant DP200100020. Madampe and Grundy are supported by ARC Laureate Fellowship FL190100035. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 IEEE.; Workshop on Human-Centric Software Engineering and Cyber Security 2023, HCSE-CS 2023 ; Conference date: 11-09-2023 Through 11-09-2023",

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language = "English",

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editor = "\{Baruwal Chhetri\}, Mohan and Xiao Liu and Marthie Grobler and Thuong Hoang and Karen Renaud and Chetan Arora",

booktitle = "Proceedings - 2023 38th IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering Workshops, ASEW 2023",

publisher = "IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers",

address = "United States of America",

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Obie, HO, Ukwella, J, Madampe, K, Grundy, J & Shahin, M 2023, Towards an understanding of developers' perceptions of transparency in software development: A preliminary study. in M Baruwal Chhetri, X Liu, M Grobler, T Hoang, K Renaud & C Arora (eds), Proceedings - 2023 38th IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering Workshops, ASEW 2023. IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway NJ USA, pp. 40-45, Workshop on Human-Centric Software Engineering and Cyber Security 2023, Echternach, Luxembourg, 11/09/23. https://doi.org/10.1109/ASEW60602.2023.00010

Towards an understanding of developers' perceptions of transparency in software development: A preliminary study. / Obie, Humphrey O.; Ukwella, Juliet; Madampe, Kashumi et al.
Proceedings - 2023 38th IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering Workshops, ASEW 2023. ed. / Mohan Baruwal Chhetri; Xiao Liu; Marthie Grobler; Thuong Hoang; Karen Renaud; Chetan Arora. Piscataway NJ USA: IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2023. p. 40-45.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Research › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Towards an understanding of developers' perceptions of transparency in software development

T2 - Workshop on Human-Centric Software Engineering and Cyber Security 2023

AU - Obie, Humphrey O.

AU - Ukwella, Juliet

AU - Madampe, Kashumi

AU - Grundy, John

AU - Shahin, Mojtaba

N1 - Funding Information: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work is supported by ARC Discovery Grant DP200100020. Madampe and Grundy are supported by ARC Laureate Fellowship FL190100035. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 IEEE.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Software applications play an increasingly critical role in various aspects of our lives, from communication and entertainment to business and health care. As these applications become more pervasive, the importance of considering human values in software development has gained significant attention. In this preliminary study, we investigate developers' perceptions and experiences related to human values, with a focus on the human value of transparency. We interviewed five experienced developers and conducted thematic analysis to explore how devel-opers perceive transparency, violations of transparency, and the process of fixing reported violations of transparency. Our findings reveal the significance of transparency as a fundamental value in software development, with developers recognising its importance for building trust, promoting accountability, and fostering ethical practices. Developers recognise the negative consequences of the violation of the human value of transparency and follow a systematic process to fix reported violations. This includes investigation, root cause analysis, corrective action planning, collaborative problem-solving, and testing and verification. These preliminary findings contribute to the understanding of transparency in software development and provide insights for promoting ethical practices.

AB - Software applications play an increasingly critical role in various aspects of our lives, from communication and entertainment to business and health care. As these applications become more pervasive, the importance of considering human values in software development has gained significant attention. In this preliminary study, we investigate developers' perceptions and experiences related to human values, with a focus on the human value of transparency. We interviewed five experienced developers and conducted thematic analysis to explore how devel-opers perceive transparency, violations of transparency, and the process of fixing reported violations of transparency. Our findings reveal the significance of transparency as a fundamental value in software development, with developers recognising its importance for building trust, promoting accountability, and fostering ethical practices. Developers recognise the negative consequences of the violation of the human value of transparency and follow a systematic process to fix reported violations. This includes investigation, root cause analysis, corrective action planning, collaborative problem-solving, and testing and verification. These preliminary findings contribute to the understanding of transparency in software development and provide insights for promoting ethical practices.

KW - Human values

KW - software engineering

KW - transparency

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M3 - Conference Paper

AN - SCOPUS:85178505656

SN - 9798350330335

SP - 40

EP - 45

BT - Proceedings - 2023 38th IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering Workshops, ASEW 2023

A2 - Baruwal Chhetri, Mohan

A2 - Liu, Xiao

A2 - Grobler, Marthie

A2 - Hoang, Thuong

A2 - Renaud, Karen

A2 - Arora, Chetan

PB - IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

CY - Piscataway NJ USA

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ER -

Obie HO, Ukwella J, Madampe K, Grundy J, Shahin M. Towards an understanding of developers' perceptions of transparency in software development: A preliminary study. In Baruwal Chhetri M, Liu X, Grobler M, Hoang T, Renaud K, Arora C, editors, Proceedings - 2023 38th IEEE/ACM International Conference on Automated Software Engineering Workshops, ASEW 2023. Piscataway NJ USA: IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. 2023. p. 40-45 doi: 10.1109/ASEW60602.2023.00010

Towards an understanding of developers' perceptions of transparency in software development: A preliminary study

Abstract

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

ValDefFixApp: Values-oriented Defect Fixing for Mobile Software Applications

HCMDSE: Human-centric Model-driven Software Engineering

Cite this

Towards an understanding of developers' perceptions of transparency in software development: A preliminary study

Abstract

Conference

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Projects

ValDefFixApp: Values-oriented Defect Fixing for Mobile Software Applications

HCMDSE: Human-centric Model-driven Software Engineering

Cite this