Towards an Understanding of Developers' Perceptions of Transparency in Software Development: A Preliminary Study
Humphrey O. Obie, Juliet Ukwella, Kashumi Madampe, John Grundy,, Mojtaba Shahin

TL;DR
This study explores how experienced developers perceive transparency in software development, highlighting its importance for trust and ethics, and examining their responses to transparency violations.
Contribution
It provides initial insights into developers' perceptions of transparency and their systematic approaches to addressing violations, advancing understanding of ethical practices in software development.
Findings
Transparency is vital for trust and accountability.
Developers follow systematic processes to fix transparency violations.
Violations of transparency have negative ethical implications.
Abstract
Software applications play an increasingly critical role in various aspects of our lives, from communication and entertainment to business and healthcare. As these applications become more pervasive, the importance of considering human values in software development has gained significant attention. In this preliminary study, we investigate developers's perceptions and experiences related to human values, with a focus on the human value of transparency. We interviewed five experienced developers and conducted thematic analysis to explore how developers perceive transparency, violations of transparency, and the process of fixing reported violations of transparency. Our findings reveal the significance of transparency as a fundamental value in software development, with developers recognising its importance for building trust, promoting accountability, and fostering ethical practices.…
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Taxonomy
TopicsSoftware Engineering Techniques and Practices · Ethics and Social Impacts of AI · Ethics in Business and Education
