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Blekinge Institute of Technology
Department of Software Engineering
Revision: 2
Reg.no: BTH-4.1.14-0991-2024
Course syllabus
Behavioural Software Engineering
Behavioural Software Engineering
7.5 credits (7,5 högskolepoäng)
Course code: PA2570
Main field of study: Software Engineering
Disciplinary domain: Technology
Education level: Second-cycle
Specialization: A1N - Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirements
Language of instruction: English
Applies from: 2024-11-01
Approved: 2024-11-01
1. Descision
This course is established by Dean 2018-05-22. The course syllabus is approved by Head of Department of Software Engineering 2024-11-01 and applies from 2024-11-01.
2. Entry requirements
Admission to the course requires completed the course Software Engineering, 6 credits.
3. Objective and content
3.1 Objective
Software is developed by people. Understanding how people develop software is therefore an important aspect that, together with technical understanding, contributes to high quality products. The purpose of this course is to introduce the students to the wide variety of human factors that influence software engineering activities, how they can be studied, and possibly considered in professional practice.
3.2 Content
The course covers the following content areas:
- Broad overview of human factors in software engineering and how they affect engineers, managers, customers, and users of software
- Historic perspective on cognitive aspects relevant for software engineering (such as but not limited to: perception, attention, memory, cognitive load, reasoning, biases, knowledge, and emotion) and means to assess these aspects
- Contemporary means to scientifically study cognitive aspects in relation to concrete software engineering activities, such as but not limited to: program comprehension, testing, debugging, software design, modern code reviews
4. Learning outcomes
The following learning outcomes are examined in the course:
4.1. Knowledge and understanding
On completion of the course the student should be able to:
- Explain which, why and how human factors influence software engineering activities
- Describe which cognitive aspects have been studied for particular software engineering tasks
- Compare and critically analyze the methods by which cognitive aspects have been evaluated in research studies
4.2. Competence and skills
On completion of the course the student should be able to:
- Collect and analyze data related to human factors using relevant empirical methods
- Present, argue and discuss issues related to the measurement and evaluation of human factors
4.3. Judgement and approach
On completion of the course the student should be able to:
- Assess a particular software engineering activity in practice, identify the involved human factors and propose mechanisms that could potentially improve the activity
5. Learning activities
The teaching consists of a few lectures that introduce main thematic areas (see course content) and mandatory seminars that are driven by the students’ preparation of discussion points around those areas. The preparation for the seminars is based on reading scientific literature (see course literature). This activity is complemented by a project in which the students can apply the theoretical knowledge from the seminars in a practical setting; analysis and reflective reporting of this experience contributes to a deepened understanding of how human factors affect software engineering activities.
6. Assessment and grading
Modes of examinations of the course
| Code | Module | Credit | Grade |
| 2305 | Seminar | 1 credits | GU |
| 2315 | Project | 2.5 credits | GU |
| 2325 | Report[1] | 4 credits | AF |
[1] Determines the final grade for the course, which will only be issued when all components have been approved.
The course will be graded A Excellent, B Very good, C Good, D Satisfactory, E Sufficient, FX Failed result, a little more work required, F Fail.
The examiner may carry out oral follow-up of written examinations.
The information before the start of the course states the assessment criteria and make explicit in which modes of examination that the learning outcomes are assessed.
An examiner can, after consulting the Disability Advisor at BTH, decide on a customized examination form for a student with a long-term disability to be provided with an examination equivalent to one given to a student who is not disabled.
7. Course evaluation
The course evaluation should be carried out in line with BTH:s course evaluation template and process.
8. Restrictions regarding degree
The course can form part of a degree but not together with another course the content of which completely or partly corresponds with the contents of this course.
9. Course literature and other materials of instruction
The course literature consists of the articles below. In addition, the students are expected to find new, relevant scientific literature by themselves, using the course literature as a starting point.
Lenberg, P., Feldt, R., & Wallgren, L. G. (2015). Behavioral software engineering: A definition and systematic literature review. Journal of Systems and software, 107, 15-37.
Fagerholm, F., Felderer, M., Fucci, D., Unterkalmsteiner, M., Marculescu, B., Martini, M., ... & Khattak, J. (2022). Cognition in Software Engineering: A Taxonomy and Survey of a Half-Century of Research. arXiv preprint arXiv:2201.05551.