Overwhelmed Software Developers

IEEE Software (Volume: 41, Issue: 4, July-Aug. 2024), Page(s): 51 - 59 We have conducted a qualitative psychology study to explore the experience of feeling overwhelmed in the realm of software development. Through the candid confessions of two participants who have recently faced overwhelming chall...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors Michels, Lisa-Marie, Petkova, Aleksandra, Richter, Marcel, Farley, Andreas, Graziotin, Daniel, Wagner, Stefan
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 06.06.2024
Subjects
Computer Science - Computers and Society
Computer Science - Software Engineering
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Summary:IEEE Software (Volume: 41, Issue: 4, July-Aug. 2024), Page(s): 51 - 59 We have conducted a qualitative psychology study to explore the experience of feeling overwhelmed in the realm of software development. Through the candid confessions of two participants who have recently faced overwhelming challenges, we have identified seven distinct categories: communication-induced, disturbance-related, organizational, variety, technical, temporal, and positive overwhelm. While most types of overwhelm tend to deteriorate productivity and increase stress levels, developers sometimes perceive overwhelm as a catalyst for heightened focus, self-motivation, and productivity. Stress was often found to be a common companion of overwhelm. Our findings align with previous studies conducted in diverse disciplines. However, we believe that software developers possess unique traits that may enable them to navigate through the storm of overwhelm more effectively.
DOI:10.48550/arxiv.2406.04057