A Case-Based Look at Integrating Social Context into Software Quality

TL;DR

This paper emphasizes the importance of integrating social and ethical considerations into software quality assurance by examining three case studies through the lens of technological determinism, highlighting practical approaches for designers.

Contribution

It introduces a case-based framework demonstrating how social context influences software quality and offers practical methods for integrating these concerns into design and assurance processes.

Findings

Social climate impacts software quality goals

Technological determinism guides social-aware design

Practical approaches improve social sensitivity in software development

Abstract

Ensuring high-quality software requires considering the social climate within which the applications will be deployed and used. This can be done by designing quality goals and objectives that are consistent with changing social and ethical landscapes. Using principles of technological determinism, this article presents three cases that illustrate why it is becoming even more important to integrate these concerns into software design and quality assurance. With these examples in mind, this article explains how to consider technological determinism in software design and quality assurance practices to achieve this enhanced sensitivity on a practical level.