Toward a Better Understanding of How to Develop Software Under Stress - Drafting the Lines for Future Research

TL;DR

This paper explores how different software development practices impact developer performance under stress, aiming to identify optimal conditions for stress-affected software creation through data collection and analysis.

Contribution

It proposes a comprehensive approach combining questionnaires, non-invasive measurement tools, and biophysical sensors to study stress effects on software development.

Findings

Initial data collection methods established

Potential correlations between practices and stress levels identified

Framework for future research on stress in software engineering developed

Abstract

The software is often produced under significant time constraints. Our idea is to understand the effects of various software development practices on the performance of developers working in stressful environments, and identify the best operating conditions for software developed under stressful conditions collecting data through questionnaires, non-invasive software measurement tools that can collect measurable data about software engineers and the software they develop, without intervening their activities, and biophysical sensors and then try to recreated also in different processes or key development practices such conditions.