Category: human behavior
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Waiting times and the task selection process
When working on a project, what process do developers use to select the next task to implement? One way to answer this question is to ask the developers/managers working on the project. However, these people are not always available, and sometimes the actual process used is not what management say it is. Analysis of the…
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Answering via a scale to improve estimation accuracy
The human brain differs from the brain of other animals in having two number processing systems: 1) the approximate number system (present in other animals), and 2) language. Round numbers are often given in answers when using language, to questions having a numeric answer. While use of round numbers may be conversationally appropriate, they decrease…
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Software task estimation using LLMs is fake research
Developers hate having to provide an estimate for the time needed to implement some functionality. Given the extent to which LLMs have become embedded in the software world, offloading the estimation question to an LLM appears to be an obvious solution. The problem is that LLMs are very unlikely to give a meaningful answer. However,…
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Naming convergence in a network of pairwise interactions
While naming and categorizing things are perhaps the two most contentious issues in software engineering, there is often a great deal of similarity in the names and categorizes used by unconnected groups. These characteristics of naming and categorization are general observed behaviors across cultures and languages, with software engineering being a particular example. Studies have…
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When task time measurements are not reported by developers
Measurements of the time taken to complete a software development task usually rely on the values reported by the person doing the work. People often give round number answers to numeric questions. This rounding has the effect of shifting start/stop/duration times to 5/10/15/20/30/45/60 minute boundaries. To what extent do developers actually start/stop tasks on round…
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Evolution has selected humans to prefer adding new features
Assume that clicking within any of the cells in the image below flips its color (white/green). Which cells would you click on to create an image that is symmetrical along the horizontal/vertical axis? In one study, 80% of subjects added a block of four green cells in each of the three white corners. The other…
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Software_Engineering_Practices = Morals+Theology
Including the word science in the term used to describe a research field creates an aura of scientific enterprise. Universities name departments “Computer Science” and creationist have adopted the term “Creation Science”. The word engineering is used when an aura with a practical hue is desired, e.g., “Software Engineering” and “Consciousness Engineering”. Science and engineering…