There have been plenty of studies, conducted by psychologist, focus on the correlation of “emotions” and “jobs”—or career in broader scope. And the results almost always show that they are strongly correlated. A new study specifically seeks answer if emotions are important factor in the software engineering.

Emotions are an important factor that must be taken into account when designing any type of software. This is the conclusion reached through a research project coordinated by the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid that analyzes the role played by feelings in the users and developers of computer systems. Credit: UC3M

“Specifically, the study focuses on the engineering of requirements, a crucial phase in software development that includes tasks related to determining the needs and conditions that the system must satisfy.”

With this study, a press release by the Carlos III University of Madrid explains, the researchers aim to find explanation about why the researchers “often met disappointed users whose unhappiness was produced by a deficient collection of requirements.”

To get the answer, researchers use a specific instrument—called “the affect grid” (by J. A. Rusell)—to the field of requirement engineering. As cited on the release, the authors of the research study, Ricardo Colomo of UC3M’s Computer Science Department, says:

“This instrument provides emotional outlines for different versions of the requirements, in addition to facilitating an analysis of the emotions of those involved in the development of the system.”

The results show that emotions are important factor in the software engineering—especially when negotiating and establishing requirements, the release reveals. The study also suggests that “the developers suffer greater stress than the users, although with the final versions of the requirements the scores tend to even out”, summed up Prof Colomo, who is currently also studying the implications of multiculturalism in the process of software development. (via: “A study analyzes emotions in software engineering” by the Carlos III University of Madrid.)