Use of information in software development

Software	None
Covers	Software development methodologies, software development processes
Skills Required	Good understanding of software development methodologies, programming and systems analysis; access to experienced software developers
Challenge	Conceptual ???? Technical ?? Programming

Brief Description

Software development methodologies prescribe the production of a lot of information on paper and/or in files, besides the actual software. What is this information used for? How valuable is it, and for whom? Is it fit for purpose? Is it worth the effort it took to produce?

The challenge of this project is to study how information is produced and consumed within software development projects, to see whether the participants in the processes need and/or value the information others produce for them, and that they produce for themselves; and how much value they put on the information they produce for other developers, for clients, and to satisfy the requirements of auditors measuring performance and conformity to standards; as well as how they understand the purposes of all the information that gets generated in different formats, and how well it meets these purposes. In other words, to find out how well the requirements of the methodologies organizations apply in practice fit what developers perceive as their real needs.

This project will require a good understanding of software development methodologies and preferably experience of real-life professional development projects, and a good supply of interview subjects and/or survey respondents with professional development experience.

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