Psychosocial Correlates of Software Designers' Professional Aptitude

Abstract

This paper presents quantitative results of the first phase of empirical research carried out within the framework of the interdisciplinary project InfoPsycho that was initiated in 2013 at the Koszalin University of Technology and the University of Gdansk. The aim of the study was to identify the personality traits that characterize successful applicants for university studies in the field of software development. Synthetic indicators of quality and performance of their design tasks and exercises were selected as the criteria for candidates' professional skills. To measure personality traits, the NEO-FFI questionnaire was used, based on the five-factor model by Costa and McCrae. Preliminary results show that expected young designers (N=140) score high on neuroticism and introversion as compared with those designers whose design documentation is of poor quality. They also show a high degree of conscientiousness, which can be seen when their performance of exercises and programming tasks is being evaluated.