Q-Rapids is still producing papers

After two years since the Q-Rapids project (H2020) finised on October 2019, we finally get published one of the systematic mappings conducted during the project. We have now published our study on quality related metrics and indicators for monitoring Agile development processes.

Quality measurement in agile and rapid software development: A systematic mapping

Lidia López, Xavier Burgués, Silverio Martínez-Fernández, Anna Maria Vollmer, Woubshet Behutiye, Pertti Karhapää, Xavier Franch, Pilar Rodríguez, Markku Oivo

Abstract. Context: In despite of agile and rapid software development (ARSD) being researched and applied extensively, managing quality requirements (QRs) are still challenging. As ARSD processes produce a large amount of data, measurement has become a strategy to facilitate QR management. Objective: This study aims to survey the literature related to QR management through metrics in ARSD, focusing on: bibliometrics, QR metrics, and quality-related indicators used in quality management. Methods: The study design includes the definition of research questions, selection criteria, and snowballing as search strategy. Results: We selected 61 primary studies (2001–2019). Despite a large body of knowledge and standards, there is no consensus regarding QR measurement. Terminology is varying as are the measuring models. However, seemingly different measurement models do contain similarities. Conclusion: The industrial relevance of the primary studies shows that practitioners have a need to improve quality measurement. Our collection of measures and data sources can serve as a starting point for practitioners to include quality measurement into their decision-making processes. Researchers could benefit from the identified similarities to start building a common framework for quality measurement. In addition, this could help researchers identify what quality aspects need more focus, e.g., security and usability that have surprisingly few metrics reported

 

Link to the Open Access paper

El principio del fin?

Este lunes ha empezado el cuatrimestre, a pesar de la situación actual, he tenido suerte y he empezado presencialmente. Antes de clase, estaba tomando un café en la terraza del bar de la FIB, de cara a los aularios, viendo las ventanas de las clases vacías y he tomado conciencia de que puede que sea mi último primer día. Estaba ahí con mi café y lo único que podía pensar era que me encanta lo que he hago aquí.

Todo empezó hace 16 años, en esta misma plaza, en las escaleras en las que encontré con Marc, que de manera inocente me preguntó si había pensado volver a la universidad, esta vez para estar al otro lado del aula. Profesora? nunca se me había pasado por la cabeza! y ahí fue cuando empezó todo.

Y aquí estoy, 16 años después delante de esas mismas escaleras, viendo como ese proyecto se me está escurriendo de las manos. Ahora toca disfrutar estos meses como si fueran los últimos, porqué ahora sí que puede que lo sean.

--- The beginning of the end......

The semester started this Monday, I was lucky and I started with a face-to-face session. Before starting the class, I was having a coffee on the FIB bar terrace and I realised that that could be the last first day. I was there, with my coffee and I only was able to think that I loved what I do here.

All started 16 years ago, in this exact location, when I met Marc and he asked me if I considered the possibility to return to the university to be on the other side. Me being a teacher? That was never in my plans, but it was when my new career started.

And here I am, 16 years after in front of the same stairs, seeing how this career can end. Now, I have to enjoy the following months like they are the last ones, just in case!

For the first time (REJ)

After all these years working in the field of Requirements Engineering, I finally have a paper accepted in the Requirements Engineering Journal. I find astonishing that I avoid this venue for so long.

The state-of-practice in requirements elicitation: an extended interview study at 12 companies

Cristina Palomares, Xavier Franch, Carme Quer, Panagiota Chatzipetrou, Lidia López, Tony Gorschek

Abstract. Requirements engineering remains a discipline that is faced with a large number of challenges, including the implementation of a requirements elicitation process in industry. Although several proposals have been suggested by researchers and academics, little is known of the practices that are actually followed in industry. Our objective is to investigate the state-of-practice with respect to requirements elicitation, by closely examining practitioners’ current practices. To this aim, we focus on the techniques that are used in industry, the roles that requirements elicitation involves, and the challenges that the requirements elicitation process is faced with. As method, we conducted an interview-based survey study involving 24 practitioners from 12 different Swedish IT companies, and we recorded the interviews and analyzed these recordings by using quantitative and qualitative methods. Several results emerged from the studies. Group interaction techniques, including meetings and workshops, are the most popular type of elicitation techniques that are employed by the practitioners, except in the case of small projects. Additionally, practitioners tend to use a variety of elicitation techniques in each project. We noted that customers are frequently involved in the elicitation process, except in the case of market-driven organizations. Technical staff (for example, developers and architects) are more frequently involved in the elicitation process compared to the involvement of business or strategic staff. Finally, we identified a number of challenges with respect to stakeholders. These challenges include difficulties in understanding and prioritizing their needs. Further, it was noted that requirements instability (i.e., caused by changing needs or priorities) was a predominant challenge. These observations need to be interpreted in the context of the study. We conclude that the relevant observations regarding the survey participants’ experiences should be of interest to the industry; experiences that should be analyzed in the practitioners’ context. Researchers may find evidence for the use of academic results in practice, thereby inspiring future theoretical work, as well as further empirical studies in the same area.

Paper accepted in the Science of Computer Programming journal (SCP)

QaSD: A Quality-aware Strategic Dashboard for supporting Decision makers in Agile Software Development

Lidia López, Martí Manzano, Cristina Gómez, Marc Oriol, Carles Farré, Xavier. Franch, Silverio Martínez-Fernández, Anna Maria Vollmer

Abstract. Software and data analytics solutions support improving development processes and the quality of the software produced in Agile Software Development (ASD). However, decision makers in software teams (e.g., product owner, project manager) are demanding powerful tools providing evidence data that support their strategic decision-making processes. In this paper, we present and provide access to QaSD, a Quality-aware Strategic Dashboard supporting decision makers in ASD. The dashboard allows decision makers to define high-level strategic indicators (e.g., customer satisfaction, process performance) related to software quality and to measure, explore, simulate and forecast the values of those indicators in order to explain and justify their decisions. Moreover, we also provide the results of a conducted evaluation of the dashboard quality in a real environment that evaluated the QaSD as usable, easy to use, with good navigation, and reliable.

A tool paper reporting the Q-Rapids strategic dashboard as an Original software publication for Elsevier.

Curiosity: The acceptance notification arrived on October 31st, just one year after the end of the project, Q-Rapids project  started on October 1st (2016) and ended on October 31st (2019).

My first lecture in a conference

CONVOCATORIAS ANTE LA UNIÓN EUROPEA

I did my first lecture in a conference. I was invited to talk in the XVIII Engineering Days, in the Universidad de Caldas, Engineering Faculty, Manizales, Colombia. 

I was asked to talk about my experience on H2020 European reseach projects. Due to the circumstances, I did it online!!

iStar 2019 has been a success

I'm really happy because organizing the workshop held in conjunction with the 38th International Conference on Conceptual Modelling (ER 2019) has been a success.

We have a total of 16 papers presented and a really interesting keynote speech given by Professor Professor Matthias Jarke (RWTH Aachen University, Germany), joint to MREBA workshop. All together in a 1-day workshop, it has been a real challenge.

Here you have a short compilation video of the workshop:

My first SMS in the IST (IF 2018: 2.921 - Q1 in SE)

A bunch of letters and numbers only understandable for some of us :D

For the researchers conducting Systematic Mapping Studies (SMS) and Systematic Literature Reviews (SLR), they understand the work behind an SMS or SLR publication. Nine researchers from three institutions working during almost three years conducting the study and preparing the paper. After all this time, our paper is already in press (since November 12th) in the Information and Software Technology journal (IF 2018: 2.921).

Management of quality requirements in agile and rapid software development: A systematic mapping study

Woubshet Behutiye, Pertti Karhapää, Lidia López, Xavier Burgués, Silverio Martínez-Fernández, Anna MariaVollmer, Pilar Rodríguez, Xavier Franch, and Markku Oivo

Abstract. Context. Quality requirements (QRs) describe the desired quality of software, and they play an important role in the success of software projects. In agile software development (ASD), QRs are often ill-defined and not well addressed due to the focus on quickly delivering functionality. Rapid software development (RSD) approaches (e.g., continuous delivery and continuous deployment), which shorten delivery times, are more prone to neglect QRs. Despite the significance of QRs in both ASD and RSD, there is limited synthesized knowledge on their management in those approaches. Objective. This study aims to synthesize state-of-the-art knowledge about QR management in ASD and RSD, focusing on three aspects: bibliometric, strategies, and challenges. Research method. Using a systematic mapping study with a snowballing search strategy, we identified and structured the literature on QR management in ASD and RSD. Results. We found 156 primary studies: 106 are empirical studies, 16 are experience reports, and 34 are theoretical studies. Security and performance were the most commonly reported QR types. We identified various QR management strategies: 74 practices, 43 methods, 13 models, 12 frameworks, 11 advices, 10 tools, and 7 guidelines. Additionally, we identified 18 categories and 4 non-recurring challenges of managing QRs. The limited ability of ASD to handle QRs, time constraints due to short iteration cycles, limitations regarding the testing of QRs and neglect of QRs were the top categories of challenges. Conclusion. Management of QRs is significant in ASD and is becoming important in RSD. This study identified research gaps, such as the need for more tools and guidelines, lightweight QR management strategies that fit short iteration cycles, investigations of the link between QRs challenges and technical debt, and extension of empirical validation of existing strategies to a wider context. It also synthesizes QR management strategies and challenges, which may be useful for practitioners.

The last paper of my PhD thesis (6 years after my defense) published in a JCR Q1 (IF 2018: 4.098 - Q1)

Specialization in the iStar2.0 Language

The paper summarising my PhD thesis proposal has been published officialy today, six years and five months after my thesis defense. 

"Nunca es tarde si la dicha es buena" (Spanish saying for "never is too late if it is something good")

 

Link to the Open Access paper

Paper accepted at the 13th International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement (ESEM 2019)

Practical experiences and value of applying software analytics for managing quality

Anna Maria Vollmer, Silverio Martínez-Fernández, Alessandra Bagnato, Jari Partanen, Pilar Rodriguez Gonzalez and Lidia Lopez

Abstract. Background: Despite the growth of usage of software analytics platforms in industry, little empirical evidence is available about the challenges that practitioners face and the value that these platforms give. Aim: The goal of this research is to explore the benefits from using a software analytics platform for practitioners managing quality. Method: In a technology transfer project, a software analytics platform was incrementally developed between academic and industrial partners to address their software quality problems. This platform was used in two pilot projects. This paper focuses on exploring the value provided by a software analytics platform in these pilot projects. Results: Practitioners have emphasized main benefits including the semiautomated functionality of creating quality requirements, the improvement of product quality and process performance, and an

increased awareness of product readiness. They have especially perceived the semi-automated functionality of creating quality requirements out of the software analytics platform as the

benefit with the highest impact and most novel value for them. Conclusions: Practice can benefit from modern software analytics platforms, especially if they have time to adopt it carefully and

integrate it into their quality assurance activities.

My first PhD examination panel

Quality Assurance methodology for system requirement definition

by Karla Gomez Sotelo

On July 5th, I'm going to participate in my first PhD examination panel in the Laboratoire d'Analyse et d'Architecture des Systèmes (Tolouse, France).

Paper published in the IEEE Access journal (JCR 201: 4.098 - Q1)

Continuously assessing and improving software quality with software analytics tools: a case study

Silverio Martínez-Fernández, Anna Maria Vollmer, Andreas Jedlitschka, Xavier Franch, Lidia López, Prabhat Ram, Pilar Rodríguez, Sanja Aaramaa, Alessandra Bagnato, Michał Choraś and Jari Partanen 

Abstract. In the last decade, modern data analytics technologies have enabled the creation of software analytics tools offering real-time visualization of various aspects related to software development and usage. These tools seem to be particularly attractive for companies doing agile software development. However, the information provided by the available tools is neither aggregated nor connected to higher quality goals. At the same time, assessing and improving software quality has also been a key target for the software engineering community, yielding several proposals for standards and software quality models. Integrating such quality models into software analytics tools could close the gap by providing the connection to higher quality goals. This study aims at understanding whether the integration of quality models into software analytics tools provides understandable, reliable, useful, and relevant information at the right level of detail about the quality of a process or product, and whether practitioners intend to use it. Over the course of more than one year, the four companies involved in this case study deployed such a tool to assess and improve software quality in several projects. We used standardized measurement instruments to elicit the perception of 22 practitioners regarding their use of the tool. We complemented the findings with debriefing sessions held at the companies. In addition, we discussed challenges and lessons learned with four practitioners leading the use of the tool. Quantitative and qualitative analyses provided positive results; i.e., the practitioners’ perception with regard to the tool’s understandability, reliability, usefulness, and relevance was positive. Individual statements support the statistical findings and constructive feedback can be used for future improvements. We conclude that potential for future adoption of quality models within software analytics tools definitely exists and encourage other practitioners to use the presented seven challenges and seven lessons learned and adopt them in their companies.

 

Link to the Open Access paper

iStar Workshop accepted at ER 2019

This year I'm organising the International Workshop of i* jointly to Joao Pimentel and Juan Pablo Carvallo. You can find the workshop details at iStar18 website.

This is the first time the workshop will be co-located to the  The International Conference on Conceptual Modeling (ER'19).

Paper accepted at 5th Annual World Open Innovation Conference (WOIC 2018)

OSSMMOsIs, an Open Innovation Maturity Model oriented to Open Source Software Adoption

Lucia Mendez, Lidia Lopez, Juan P. Carvallo, Claudia P. Ayala and Catalina Peña

Abstract. Nowadays, is well-known that Open Source Software (OSS) offer attractive benefits (like time-to-market reduction, good software solutions, contributions to knowledge, among others), capable to generate competitive advantages but at the same time, high impact on business model, goals, processes, and risks. The main impact is related to innovations that come from both external and internal stakeholders. Therefore, the way in which an organization manages its internal innovation and opens to the external, constitutes a critical success factor for OSS adoption. We identify a lack of support in organizations to know (in terms of business goals reached) its readiness level to carry out OSS adoption projects in the environment of Open Innovation. In response, the present work proposes an Open Innovation Maturity Model oriented to Open Source Software adoption, OSSMMOsIs1, like a business support tool that facilitates this identification task in early adoption stages.

Paper accepted 1st International Workshop on Quality Requirements in Agile Projects (QuaRAP 2018)

How Practitioners Manage Quality Requirements in Rapid Software Development: A Survey

Lidia López, Jari Partanen, Pilar Rodríguez, Silverio Martínez-Fernández

Abstract. Software quality is an essential competitive factor for the success of software companies today. Increasing software quality levels of software products and services requires an adequate integration of quality requirements (QRs) in the software life-cycle, which is still scarcely supported in current rapid software development (RSD) approaches. One of the goals of the Q-Rapids (Quality-aware Rapid Software Development) approach is to provide tool support to decision-makers for QRs management in RSD. As an initial step, we conducted a survey to explore how software development organizations using RSD manage QRs in their development process. The survey focuses on: (a) how data is gathered for assessing quality, (b) how QRs are managed, and (c) the considered QRs in their products. We received 30 answers, from these answers we can conclude that most of the companies gather data both automatically and manually for monitoring quality; QRs are managed together with functional requirements, sometimes or very often functionality gets priority over quality; and, the most reported QRs are reliability, performance, and security.

If you have experience developing in agile/rapid developments, you can help us answering the survey or helping us in its dissemination:

http://www.essi.upc.edu/~e-survey/index.php?sid=38773&lang=en

Co-located to 26th IEEE International Requirements Engineering Conference (RE 2018).

Paper accepted at the CAiSE Forum 2018

Q-Rapids Tool Prototype: Supporting Decision-Makers in Managing Quality in Rapid Software Development

Lidia López, Silverio Martínez-Fernández, Cristina Gómez, Michał Choraś, Rafał Kozik, Liliana Guzmán, Anna Maria Vollmer, Xavier Franch, Andreas Jedlitschka

Abstract. Software quality is an essential competitive factor for the success of software companies today. Increasing the software quality levels of software products and services requires an adequate integration of quality requirements (QRs) in the software life-cycle, which is still scarcely supported in current rapid software development (RSD) approaches. One of the goals of the Q-Rapids (Quality-aware Rapid Software Development) method is providing tool support to decision-makers for QR management in RSD. The Q-Rapids method is based on gathering data from several and heterogeneous sources, to be aggregated into quality-related strategic indicators (e.g., customer satisfaction, product quality) and presented to decision-makers using a highly informative dashboard. The current release of Q-Rapids Tool provides four sets of functionality: (1) data gathering from source tools (e.g. GitLab, Jira, SonarQube, and Jenkins), (2) aggregation of data into three levels of abstraction (metrics, product/process factors, and strategic indicators), (3) visualization of the aggregated data, and (4) navigation through the aggregated data. The tool  has been evaluated by four European companies that follow RSD processes.

Paper accepted at 30th International Conference on Advance Information Systems Engineering (CAiSE 2018)

Data-Driven Elicitation, Assessment and Documentation of Quality Requirements in Agile Software Development

Xavier Franch, Cristina Gómez, Andreas Jedlitschka, Lidia López, Silverio Martínez-Fernández, Marc Oriol, Jari Partanen

Abstract. Quality Requirements (QRs) are difficult to deal with in agile software development. Given the pressure to deploy fast, quality concerns are often sacrificed for the sake of richer functionality. In addition, artefacts like user stories are not particularly well-suited for representing QRs. In this exploratory paper, we envisage a data-driven method, called Q-Rapids, to QR elicitation, assessment and documentation in agile software development. Q-Rapids proposes: 1) The collection and analysis of design and runtime data in order to raise quality alerts; 2) The suggestion of candidate QRs to address these alerts; 3) A strategic analysis of the impact of such requirements by visualizing their effect on a set of indicators rendered in a dashboard; 4) The documentation of the requirements (if finally accepted) in the backlog. The approach is illustrated with three scenarios evaluated through a questionnaire by experts from a telecom company.

BPM 2017: Business Process Management International Conference

This year, the 15th BPM has been hosted by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, in Barcelona.

Although I didn't have any paper published in the conference, I had the opportunity to do my bit.....

Paper accepted at the 1st International Workshop on Managing Quality in Agile and Rapid Software Development Processes

Agile Quality Requirements Management Best Practices Portfolio: A Situational Method Engineering Approach 

Lidia López, Woubshet Behutiye, Pertti Karhapää, Jolita Ralyté, Xavier Franch and Markku Oivo

Abstract.  Management of Quality Requirements (QRs) is determinant for the success of software projects. However, this management is currently under-considered in software projects and in particular, in agile methods. Although agile processes are focused on the functional aspects of the software, some agile practices can be beneficial for the management of QRs. For example, the collaboration and interaction of people can help in the QR elicitation by reducing vagueness of requirements through communication. In this paper, we present the initial find-ings of our research investigating what industrial practices, from the agile methods, can be used for better management of QRs in agile software development. We use Situational Method Engineering to identify, complement and classify a portfolio of best practices for QR management in agile environments. In this regard, we present the methodological approach that we are applying for the defini-tion of these guidelines and the requirements that will lead us to compile a portfo-lio of agile QR management best practices. The proposed requirements correspond to the whole software life cycle starting in the elicitation and finalizing in the deployment phases.

Co-located to the 18th International Conference on Product-Focused Software Process Improvement (PROFES 2017).

A really hard first semester

This has been a specially hard first semester, I have been involved in too many research related activities that I was not able to do research!!!!!

I belonged to 14 program committees, so I reviewed something like 30 conference and workshop papers, and a couple of journal papers. My apologies if I arrived a bit late this year to my compromises.

Happy Holidays!!!!

Paper accepted at the 4th International Workshop on conceptual Modeling in Requirements and Business Analysis

Towards an Ontology for Strategic Decision Making: The Case of Quality in Rapid Software Development Projects

Cristina Gómez, Claudia Ayala, Xavier Franch, Lidia López, Woubshet Behutiye, Silverio Martínez-Fernández

Abstract. Strategic decision making is the process of selecting a logical and informed choice from the alternative options based on key strategic indicators determining the success of a specific organization strategy. To support this process and pro-vide a common underlying language, in this work, we present an empirically-grounded ontology to support different strategic decision-making processes and extend the ontology to cover the context of managing quality in Rapid Software Development projects. We illustrate the complete ontology with an example.

Co-located to the 36th International Conference on Conceptual Modeling (ER 2017). I was going to the ER since 2011, but I missed the last edition (2016) and I was not going to be there this year either. But, maybe this year will be able to come back!