Software Solutions for Newcomers' Onboarding in Software Projects: A Systematic Literature Review

TL;DR

This systematic review analyzes 32 studies on software solutions for onboarding newcomers in software projects, highlighting prevalent strategies, evaluation methods, and gaps in addressing diversity and inclusion.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of current software solutions for onboarding, identifying research gaps and opportunities for more inclusive and effective tools.

Findings

Recommendation systems are most common among solutions.

Most solutions are web-based and focus on onboarding processes.

Laboratory experiments are the primary evaluation method.

Abstract

[Context] Newcomers joining an unfamiliar software project face numerous barriers; therefore, effective onboarding is essential to help them engage with the team and develop the behaviors, attitudes, and skills needed to excel in their roles. However, onboarding can be a lengthy, costly, and error-prone process. Software solutions can help mitigate these barriers and streamline the process without overloading senior members. [Objective] This study aims to identify the state-of-the-art software solutions for onboarding newcomers. [Method] We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to answer six research questions. [Results] We analyzed 32 studies about software solutions for onboarding newcomers and yielded several key findings: (1) a range of strategies exists, with recommendation systems being the most prevalent; (2) most solutions are web-based; (3) solutions target a variety of onboarding aspects, with a focus on process; (4) many onboarding barriers remain unaddressed by existing solutions; (5) laboratory experiments are the most commonly used method for evaluating these solutions; and (6) diversity and inclusion aspects primarily address experience level. [Conclusion] We shed light on current technological support and identify research opportunities to develop more inclusive software solutions for onboarding. These insights may also guide practitioners in refining existing platforms and onboarding programs to promote smoother integration of newcomers into software projects.