Progress Report on a Proposed Theory for Software Development

TL;DR

This paper reviews a developing overarching theory for software development aimed at integrating diverse methodologies and improving predictability of outcomes in software engineering.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive theory designed to unify various software development approaches and enhance understanding and predictability.

Findings

Progress made in developing the theory.

Potential for the theory to support situated software development.

Expected improvement in outcome predictability.

Abstract

There is growing acknowledgement within the software engineering community that a theory of software development is needed to integrate the myriad methodologies that are currently popular, some of which are based on opposing perspectives. We have been developing such a theory for a number of years. In this position paper, we overview our theory along with progress made thus far. We suggest that, once fully developed, this theory, or one similar to it, may be applied to support situated software development, by providing an overarching model within which software initiatives might be categorised and understood. Such understanding would inevitably lead to greater predictability with respect to outcomes.