Many empathy measures, models and techniques have been developed over the years. In our previous work, we developed a preliminary empathy taxonomy for SE considering these empathy models, techniques and measures. Since empathy is seen as beneficial for improving human connections across disciplines, and has not been adequately studied in SE, we became interested to explore it in the context of one of the prominent relationships in SE contexts, between software developers and end users.

We conducted a case study to identify the empathy enablers and barriers of software developers and end-users. We adhered to the guidelines outlined by Runeson et al. when conducting this case study. Our study was based on a Monash university student group who developed the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) goal setting process as an extension to the existing askPCOS web application (https://www.askpcos.org). This solution helps the women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) to better manage their lifestyle. The project was continued for 2 semesters (24 weeks). Our study was based on the usability testing sessions conducted with the participation of software developers and potential end-users. The purpose of these sessions were to evaluate the usability of the newly implemented SMART goal setting process of the AskPCOS web application. Usability testing sessions provided a platform for developers and end-users to directly interact with each other. In the first 12 weeks, we conducted a pilot study. We observed all the co-design sessions and distributed a reflection form to the participants of each session, which served as a retrospective of these sessions. We asked participants about what went well, what didn’t go well, areas for improvement, and any unexpected events that occurred during the sessions. In the next 12 weeks, we used three data collection methods: Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) empathy test, observations of the usability testing sessions between developers and end-users, and semi-structured interviews.

We identified key enablers of empathy and the types of awareness required to foster empathy in interactions between software developers and users. Additionally, we determined the barriers to empathy in these interactions and proposed strategies to address them. Based on our findings, we presented a set of actions to identify the types of awareness required to enable empathy and strategies to overcome empathy barriers. Through observation sessions, we identified both verbal and non-verbal empathy cues exhibited by participants. We determined some trends via the scores of empathy test. We reported insights on emerging relationships and differentiated empathy enablers based on cognitive and affective empathy. Extending the findings of this study offers valuable benefits for both software practitioners and the SE research community. For researchers, this paper provides a foundational understanding of how empathy influences developer-user interactions and outlines recommendations to guide future studies on empathy in SE. For software practitioners, understanding and addressing the enablers and barriers to empathy can significantly enhance their interactions with users. This leads to more user-centric designs, improved communication, and ultimately more successful software products. By applying the findings and recommendations presented in this paper, practitioners can foster stronger developer-user connections, improve design processes, and enhance overall user satisfaction.

More details: Gunatilake, H., Grundy, J., Hoda, R., & Mueller, I. (2024). Enablers and barriers of empathy in software developer and user interactions: a mixed methods case study. ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology, 33(4), 1-41 – [open access paper]