Open this publication in new window or tab >>2025 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]
Background: Books on software craftsmanship typically focus on small teams or individual behavior, and are seldom associated with large, globally distributed organizations that develop and maintain long-lived software systems.
Objective: This thesis aims to quantify the effects of systematically derived aspects of software craftsmanship in industrial settings involving large-scale organizations, with developers spread around the globe.
Method: We employ mixed-methods studies, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR), together with a longitudinal industrial case study, is used to derive an initial anatomy of software craftsmanship, and we use case studies, experience reports and action research to explore and quantify aspects of this anatomy. We use Bayesian methods to analyze data obtained via archival analysis, as well as Likert-scale data obtained froma survey using the Technology Adoption Model (TAM). Qualitative data has been analyzed using thematic coding, and we use focus groups to validate our conclusions with the studied subjects.
Results: Based on the SLR results and a industrial case study, we derive an anatomy of software craftsmanship, based on four themes, 17 principles and 47 practices. The effects of some practices from this anatomy are then quantified in subsequent articles in the thesis.
Conclusion: Based on literature and case study results, we have found a usable conceptual map of software craftsmanship. However, it remains to be seen how this map will stay relevant, in the face of how cloud migrations and AI-powered Large-Language Model tools will impact future software engineers.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Karlskrona: Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, 2025. p. 217
Series
Blekinge Institute of Technology Doctoral Dissertation Series, ISSN 1653-2090 ; 2025:12
Keywords
Software Craftsmanship, Professionalism, Large-scale software development
National Category
Software Engineering
Research subject
Software Engineering
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:bth-28614 (URN)978-91-7295-512-7 (ISBN)
Public defence
2025-11-28, J1630, BTH, Valhallavägen 1, Karlskrona, 09:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
2025-10-202025-09-122025-11-06Bibliographically approved