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Understanding reuse of software examples : A case study of prejudice in a community of practice

Barzilay, Ohad and Urquhart, Cathy LU (2014) In Information and Software Technology 56(12). p.1613-1628
Abstract

Context The context of this research is software developers' perceptions about the use of code examples in professional software development. Objective The primary objective of this paper is to identify the human factors that dominate example usage among professional software developers, and to provide a theory that explains these factors. Method To achieve this goal, we analyzed the perceptions of professional software developers as manifested on LinkedIn online community. We analyzed the data qualitatively using adapted grounded theory research procedures. Results The research yields an initial framework of key factors that dominate professional developers' perception regarding example usage. We use the theoretical lens of prejudice... (More)

Context The context of this research is software developers' perceptions about the use of code examples in professional software development. Objective The primary objective of this paper is to identify the human factors that dominate example usage among professional software developers, and to provide a theory that explains these factors. Method To achieve this goal, we analyzed the perceptions of professional software developers as manifested on LinkedIn online community. We analyzed the data qualitatively using adapted grounded theory research procedures. Results The research yields an initial framework of key factors that dominate professional developers' perception regarding example usage. We use the theoretical lens of prejudice theory to put these factors in a broader context, and outline initial recommendations to address these factors in professional organizational context. Conclusion The results of this work, in particular the use of qualitative techniques - allowed us to obtain rich insight into key human factors that affect professional software developers, and enrich the body of literature on the issues of reuse. These factors need to be taken into account as part of an organizational reuse strategy.

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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Grounded theory, Human aspects, LinkedIn, Open source development, Qualitative research, Virtual focus group
in
Information and Software Technology
volume
56
issue
12
pages
16 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:84906324478
ISSN
0950-5849
DOI
10.1016/j.infsof.2014.02.013
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
f81e5c4f-582b-45e2-b0ee-b92b3dbd594e
date added to LUP
2023-11-22 14:46:08
date last changed
2023-11-24 13:41:03
@article{f81e5c4f-582b-45e2-b0ee-b92b3dbd594e,
  abstract     = {{<p>Context The context of this research is software developers' perceptions about the use of code examples in professional software development. Objective The primary objective of this paper is to identify the human factors that dominate example usage among professional software developers, and to provide a theory that explains these factors. Method To achieve this goal, we analyzed the perceptions of professional software developers as manifested on LinkedIn online community. We analyzed the data qualitatively using adapted grounded theory research procedures. Results The research yields an initial framework of key factors that dominate professional developers' perception regarding example usage. We use the theoretical lens of prejudice theory to put these factors in a broader context, and outline initial recommendations to address these factors in professional organizational context. Conclusion The results of this work, in particular the use of qualitative techniques - allowed us to obtain rich insight into key human factors that affect professional software developers, and enrich the body of literature on the issues of reuse. These factors need to be taken into account as part of an organizational reuse strategy.</p>}},
  author       = {{Barzilay, Ohad and Urquhart, Cathy}},
  issn         = {{0950-5849}},
  keywords     = {{Grounded theory; Human aspects; LinkedIn; Open source development; Qualitative research; Virtual focus group}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{1613--1628}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Information and Software Technology}},
  title        = {{Understanding reuse of software examples : A case study of prejudice in a community of practice}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2014.02.013}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.infsof.2014.02.013}},
  volume       = {{56}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}