TY - GEN
T1 - Perceptions about Software Testing among UAE Software Students
AU - Capretz, Luiz Fernando
AU - Nassif, Ali Bou
AU - Harous, Saad
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 IEEE.
PY - 2021/5
Y1 - 2021/5
N2 - Software testing is one of the crucial supporting processes of software life cycle. Unfortunately for the software industry, the role is stigmatized, partly due to misperception and partly due to the treatment of the testing role within the software industry. The present study aims to analyse this situation to explore what might inhibit an individual from taking up a software testing career. In order to investigate this issue, we surveyed 132 senior students pursuing a degree in computer science and information and communication technology (ICT) related areas at three universities in the United Arab Emirates: UAE University in Al Ain, Sharjah University in Sharjah and New York University in Abu Dhabi. The students were asked to describe the PROs and CONs of taking up a career in software testing, and to describe the likelihood that they would take up the career themselves. The study identified 7 main PROs and 9 main CONs for pursuing a testing career, and indicated that the role of software tester is perceived as a social role, which may require as many soft skills as technical knowledge. The results also show that the UAE students have a stronger negative attitude towards software testing than do their counterparts where similar investigations have been carried out in different countries in the past three years.
AB - Software testing is one of the crucial supporting processes of software life cycle. Unfortunately for the software industry, the role is stigmatized, partly due to misperception and partly due to the treatment of the testing role within the software industry. The present study aims to analyse this situation to explore what might inhibit an individual from taking up a software testing career. In order to investigate this issue, we surveyed 132 senior students pursuing a degree in computer science and information and communication technology (ICT) related areas at three universities in the United Arab Emirates: UAE University in Al Ain, Sharjah University in Sharjah and New York University in Abu Dhabi. The students were asked to describe the PROs and CONs of taking up a career in software testing, and to describe the likelihood that they would take up the career themselves. The study identified 7 main PROs and 9 main CONs for pursuing a testing career, and indicated that the role of software tester is perceived as a social role, which may require as many soft skills as technical knowledge. The results also show that the UAE students have a stronger negative attitude towards software testing than do their counterparts where similar investigations have been carried out in different countries in the past three years.
KW - human factors in software engineering
KW - software engineering
KW - software engineering education
KW - software testing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85113655568&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85113655568&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/CHASE52884.2021.00024
DO - 10.1109/CHASE52884.2021.00024
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85113655568
T3 - Proceedings - 2021 IEEE/ACM 13th International Workshop on Cooperative and Human Aspects of Software Engineering, CHASE 2021
SP - 119
EP - 120
BT - Proceedings - 2021 IEEE/ACM 13th International Workshop on Cooperative and Human Aspects of Software Engineering, CHASE 2021
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 13th IEEE/ACM International Workshop on Cooperative and Human Aspects of Software Engineering, CHASE 2021
Y2 - 20 May 2021 through 21 May 2021
ER -