The Dynamics of Creativity in Software Development

TL;DR

This paper explores the concept and dynamics of creativity in software development, aiming to develop a comprehensive theory by reviewing literature and proposing a multidisciplinary research approach.

Contribution

It introduces a research plan to study creativity in software engineering, addressing current knowledge gaps and employing novel research methods.

Findings

Identifies gaps in understanding creativity in software development

Proposes a multidisciplinary research framework

Highlights the importance of creativity for innovative software solutions

Abstract

Software is primarily developed for people by people and human factors must be studied in all software engineering phases. Creativity is the source to improvise solutions to problems for dominating complex systems such as software development. However, there is a lack of knowledge in what creativity is in software development and what its dynamics are. This study describes the current state of the research plan towards a theory on creativity in software development. More specifically, it (1) states the motivation for studying creativity in software development under a multidisciplinary view; it (2) provides a first review of the literature identifying the shortcomings in the field; it (3) proposes a research design, which includes rarely employed methods in software engineering. To understand creativity in software development will provide a better knowledge of the software construction process and how individuals intellectually contribute to the creation of better, innovative products.