The best defense is a good defense: adapting negotiation methods for tackling pressure over software project estimates

Autor(es)

Matsubara, Patricia G. F. ; Steinmacher, Igor ; Gadelha, Bruno ; Conte, Tayana ; IEEE Computer Society

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: 2022 ACM/IEEE 44TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SOFTWARE ENGINEERING: NEW IDEAS AND EMERGING RESULTS (ICSE-NIER 2022); v. N/A, p. 5-pg., 2022-01-01.

Resumo

Software estimation is critical for a software project's success and a challenging activity. We argue that estimation problems are not restricted to the generation of estimates but also their use for commitment establishment: project stakeholders pressure estimators to change their estimates or to accept unrealistic commitments to attain business goals. In this study, we employed a Design Science Research (DSR) methodology to design an artifact based on negotiation methods, to empower software estimators in defending their estimates and searching for alternatives to unrealistic commitments when facing pressure. The artifact is a concrete step towards disseminating the soft skill of negotiation among practitioners. We present the preliminary results from a focus group that showed that practitioners from the software industry could use the artifact in a concrete scenario when estimating and establishing commitments about a software project. Our future steps include improving the artifact with the suggestions from focus group participants and evaluating it empirically in real software projects in the industry. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 20/05191-2 - INDEXAR: INDividualização da EXperiência de uso em ferramentas de apoio à Aprendizagem Remota
• Beneficiário: Tayana Uchôa Conte
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular