An actionable framework to investigate and foster women inclusion in software development teams in proprietary software ecosystems

IF 4.1 2区计算机科学 Q1 COMPUTER SCIENCE, SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

Journal of Systems and Software Pub Date : 2025-08-05 DOI:10.1016/j.jss.2025.112583

Juliana Carvalho Outão , Luiz Alexandre Costa , Eleni Constantinou , Rodrigo Pereira dos Santos , Alexander Serebrenik

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Context:

Despite growing discussion and concern, gender diversity and inclusion in Exact Sciences and Technology still require attention. Several authors observed that it is not significantly present in development teams, despite positive effects. Moreover, the rise of software ecosystems (SECO) creates opportunities for external developers and renews discussions on women’s inclusion, especially in proprietary SECO (PSECO) based on protected contributions.

Goal:

This work aims to propose an actionable framework to foster the inclusion of women in software development teams within PSECO. Using this framework, we identify motivations for women entering the area, barriers faced, contextual characteristics, strategies for dealing with barriers, and coping mechanisms to which women resort when strategies fail or are non-existent.

Method:

This study builds upon a previously conducted multivocal literature review (MLR), which identified gender-related barriers and strategies in software engineering teams in PSECO context. Using the findings from that MLR as input, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 women who are part of different development teams within organizations classified as keystone organizations, those responsible for the evolution and maintenance of technological platforms.

Results:

As a result, we developed PSECO-GDI, an actionable framework to foster the inclusion of women in software development teams within PSECO. In addition to the barriers already mapped in the literature, two new ones emerged: client resistance and lack of collaboration between business partners.

Conclusions:

These newly identified barriers provide a deeper understanding of how actors of different genders interact within a PSECO and how they perceive these relationships.

Editor’s note: Open Science material was validated by the Journal of Systems and Software Open Science Board.

查看原文本刊更多论文

一个可操作的框架来调查和促进女性在专有软件生态系统中的软件开发团队

背景：尽管越来越多的讨论和关注，性别多样性和包容性的精确科学和技术仍然需要关注。一些作者观察到，尽管有积极的影响，但它在开发团队中并不明显。此外，软件生态系统（SECO）的兴起为外部开发人员创造了机会，并重新讨论了妇女参与的问题，特别是在基于受保护贡献的专有SECO （PSECO）中。目标：这项工作旨在提出一个可操作的框架，以促进PSECO软件开发团队中女性的加入。利用这一框架，我们确定了妇女进入该地区的动机、面临的障碍、背景特征、处理障碍的策略，以及当策略失败或不存在时妇女采取的应对机制。方法：本研究建立在先前进行的多声音文献综述（MLR）的基础上，该文献综述确定了PSECO背景下软件工程团队中与性别相关的障碍和策略。利用MLR的调查结果作为输入，我们对21名女性进行了半结构化访谈，她们属于被归类为关键组织的不同开发团队的一部分，这些组织负责技术平台的发展和维护。结果：因此，我们开发了PSECO- gdi，这是一个可操作的框架，旨在促进PSECO软件开发团队中女性的加入。除了文献中已经列出的障碍之外，还出现了两个新的障碍：客户抵制和商业伙伴之间缺乏合作。结论：这些新发现的障碍提供了不同性别的行动者如何在PSECO中互动以及他们如何看待这些关系的更深层次的理解。编者注：开放科学材料由系统与软件开放科学委员会杂志验证。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Systems and Software 工程技术-计算机：理论方法

CiteScore

8.60

自引率

5.70%

发文量

193

审稿时长

16 weeks

期刊介绍： The Journal of Systems and Software publishes papers covering all aspects of software engineering and related hardware-software-systems issues. All articles should include a validation of the idea presented, e.g. through case studies, experiments, or systematic comparisons with other approaches already in practice. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: •Methods and tools for, and empirical studies on, software requirements, design, architecture, verification and validation, maintenance and evolution •Agile, model-driven, service-oriented, open source and global software development •Approaches for mobile, multiprocessing, real-time, distributed, cloud-based, dependable and virtualized systems •Human factors and management concerns of software development •Data management and big data issues of software systems •Metrics and evaluation, data mining of software development resources •Business and economic aspects of software development processes The journal welcomes state-of-the-art surveys and reports of practical experience for all of these topics.