Cognitive Software Engineering: A Research Framework and Roadmap

Abstract

The work of software engineersis inherently cognitive. Integral to their duties is understanding anddeveloping several artifacts. Each one is based on a specific model and a givenlevel of abstraction. What distinguishes Software Engineering is the logical complexityof some artifacts (especially programs), the high dependency among them, andthe fact that the success of the software project also depends on the human andsocial factors, which characterize the engineers as individuals and as a group.The complexity of the daily tasks within a software development team motivatesthe investigation on the relevance of automating the software professionals’cognitive processes in order to make their work easier and more efficient. Thesuccess of this endeavor is expected to emerge as Cognitive SoftwareEngineering. For this aim, the present article suggests a research frameworkand roadmap, which build on the current state of the art. Some future directionsin the Cognitive Software Engineering are presented.