Towards a framework for improving communication about UX within software teams in startups

• Grant number: 19/05589-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: November 24, 2019
• End date: December 07, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science - Computing Methodologies and Techniques
• Agreement: CONFAP ; Newton Fund, with FAPESP as a partner institution in Brazil ; UK Academies
• Principal Investigator: Luciana Aparecida Martinez Zaina
• Grantee: Luciana Aparecida Martinez Zaina
• Visiting researcher: Helen Claire Sharp
• Visiting researcher institution: Open University, England
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências em Gestão e Tecnologia (CCGT). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Campus de Sorocaba. Sorocaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Software development in startups is driven by practices that need to be constantly changed to accommodate time-pressure and lack of resources issues. Often, software teams present difficulties in setting software practices in the fast-paced environment of startups. Recently, user experience (UX) has become a relevant aspect of software development. Sometimes, in startups, the concerns with UX are combined with the business strategy which turns much important the communication about UX. However, software teams have struggled on using UX methods and techniques. The communication about UX ends up being focused on informal aspects. Taking into account the questions above, we identify the opportunity of elaborating a project with the aim of exploring communication about UX within software teams in startups. However, the ideas for this future project are still at an early stage and demands for different expertise regarding communication and collaboration in software teams as well as in UX. This proposal aims to establish a partnership between Brazilian and British researchers to enable the elaboration of a research project to be submitted to the regular line of FAPESP. To support the future project elaboration, during the British researcher visit, the researchers will have meetings in two startups and will work in collaboration to discuss challenges previously found in the literature. At the same period, the researchers will work on the writing of the future project. The future project intends to propose a framework from which software teams working in startups can choose and adapt artefacts and tools that assist the communication about UX. (AU)