Measuring Behavior 2005: Karn and Cowling

Using ethnographic methods to carry out human factors research in software engineering

J.S. Karn and A.J Cowling

Department of Computer Science, University of Shefield, Shefield, UK

This paper describes how ethnographic methods were used to observe and analyze student teams working on software engineering (SE) projects. The aim of this research was to uncover the effect of the interplay of different personality types as measured by a test based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) on the workings of an SE team. Using ethnographic methods allowed the researchers to record the effect of personality type on behavior towards team mates and how this related to the amount of disruption, and positive ideas brought forward from each member, also examined in detail were issues that were either dogged by disruption or that did not have sufficient discussion devoted to them and the impact they had on the outcomes of the project. Initial findings indicate that ethnographic methods are a valuable weapon in the researcher’s arsenal when carrying out research into human factors of SE.

Paper presented at Measuring Behavior 2005 , 5^th International Conference on Methods and Techniques in Behavioral Research, 30 August - 2 September 2005, Wageningen, The Netherlands.