Authors:
Michal Doležel
1
and
Michael Felderer
2
Affiliations:
1
University of Economics, Czech Republic
;
2
University of Innsbruck and Blekinge Institute of Technology, Austria
Keyword(s):
Software Testing, Agile Testing, Conflict, Profession, Role Identity, Social Identity Theory, Organizational Structure, Combined Software Engineering, Software Engineering Management.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Applications
;
Databases and Information Systems Integration
;
Enterprise Information Systems
;
Human Factors
;
Human-Computer Interaction
;
Information Systems Analysis and Specification
;
Operational Research
;
Organisational Issues on Systems Integration
;
Physiological Computing Systems
;
Project Management
;
Software Engineering
;
Tools, Techniques and Methodologies for System Development
Abstract:
This paper deals with organizational patterns (configurations, set-ups) between developers/programmers and testers. We firstly discuss the key differences between these two Information Systems Development (ISD) occupations. Highlighting the origin of inevitable disagreements between them, we reflect on the nature of the software testing field that currently undergoes an essential change under the increasing influence of agile ISD approaches and methods. We also deal with the ongoing professionalization of software testing. More specifically, we propose that the concept of role identity anchored in (social) identity theory can be applied to the profession of software testers, and their activities studied accordingly. Furthermore, we conceptualize three organizational patterns (i.e. isolated testers, embedded testers, and eradicated testers) based on our selective literature review of research and practice sources in Information Systems (IS) and Software Engineering (SE) disciplines. A
fter summarizing the key industrial challenges of these patterns, we conclude the paper by calling for more research evidence that would demonstrate the viability of the recently introduced novel organizational models. We also argue that especially the organizational model of “combined software engineering”, where the roles of programmers and testers are reunited into a single role of “software engineer”, deserves a closer attention of IS and SE researchers in the future.
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