Concept definition review: A method for studying terminology in software engineering

Abstract

Context: In scientific domains, definitions provide a precise description of fundamental concepts. Although the debate within the philosophy of computer science regarding the scientific nature of software engineering (SE) is inconclusive, SE researchers have laid down important steps toward treating SE as a scientific paradigm. Objective: We aim to support precise and effective communication among SE researchers and practitioners by providing a systematic process for the identification and analysis of definitions, in order to support the selection of a suitable definition for a certain use case. Method: Inspired by methods for the planning and execution of systematic literature reviews, we construct a method that is specific for concept definition reviews (CDRs). These reviews are performed whenever a research team wishes to obtain a detailed understanding of an SE concept that may have been characterized by dozens, if not hundreds, definitions. Results: We built our method via two design science iterations. The first one focused on the concept feature and resulted in the definitive version of the CDR method presented in this paper. We then applied the revised method to two, related concepts: quality requirement and non-functional requirement. Besides showing the applicability of the CDR method, our results include findings regarding the characteristics and evolution of the terms. Conclusions: The two applications of the CDR method highlight the existence and citation of hundreds of definitions, many of which are nearly (but not exactly) identical. We put forward our method for other researchers to shed light on the key terminology in other sub-fields of SE.