Action Research in Software Engineering: Theory and Applications

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Contents
1 Introduction
	1.1 Introduction
	1.2 What Action Research Is
	1.3 The Concept of Action
	1.4 Short Historical Timeline of Action Research
	1.5 Software Engineering and Its Context
	1.6 Action Research in Software Engineering
	1.7 So, What We Need for Action Research Is…
	1.8 Outline of This Book
		1.8.1 Chapter 2: Action Research as Research Methodology in Software Engineering
		1.8.2 Chapter 3: Diagnosing
		1.8.3 Chapter 4: Action Planning
		1.8.4 Chapter 5: Action Taking
		1.8.5 Chapter 6: Evaluating
		1.8.6 Chapter 7: Learning
		1.8.7 Chapter 8: Action Research vs. Design ScienceResearch
		1.8.8 Chapter 9: Ensuring Sustainability of Knowledge
		1.8.9 Chapter 10: Validity Evaluation of Action Research Studies
		1.8.10 Chapter 11: Reporting Action Research Studies
	1.9 Let's Go!
	References
2 Action Research as Research Methodology in Software Engineering
	2.1 Introduction
	2.2 Phases of Action Research Cycles
		2.2.1 Diagnosing
		2.2.2 Action Planning
		2.2.3 Action Taking
		2.2.4 Evaluation
		2.2.5 Learning
	2.3 Action Research Cycles in Software Engineering  Organizations
	2.4 Actors in Action Research
	2.5 Number of Cycles
	2.6 Collecting the Data
	2.7 Visualizing the Data
	2.8 Software Experiment Systems
	2.9 An Action Research Project Proposal
		2.9.1 Context
		2.9.2 Goal
		2.9.3 Actors
		2.9.4 Intended Outcome
		2.9.5 Actions
		2.9.6 Data Collection and Measurements
		2.9.7 Evaluation
		2.9.8 What We Want to Learn
		2.9.9 Ethical Considerations
	2.10 Managing Action Research Projects
	2.11 Summary and Conclusions
	References
3 Diagnosing
	3.1 Introduction
	3.2 Role of Theory in Diagnosing
	3.3 Interviews
		3.3.1 Preparing for Interviews
		3.3.2 Documenting Interviews
		3.3.3 Appreciative Inquiry
	3.4 Observations
		3.4.1 Preparing for Observations
		3.4.2 Documenting Observations
		3.4.3 Participatory Observations
	3.5 Focus Group Workshops
		3.5.1 Preparing for Focus Group Workshops
		3.5.2 Documenting Focus Group Workshops
	3.6 Collecting Quantitative Data
	3.7 What Each Role Does in This Phase
	3.8 Example of Results from the Diagnosis Phase
	3.9 Formulating Research Questions
	3.10 Diagnosing Phase in Second, Third, and the SubsequentCycles
	3.11 Software Experiment Systems and Diagnosing
	3.12 Summary
	References
4 Action Planning
	4.1 Introduction
	4.2 Access to Competence
	4.3 Access to Infrastructure
	4.4 Planning of Actions, Activities, and Participants
	4.5 Planning of Milestones
	4.6 Planning of Deliverables
	4.7 Planning of Status/Planning Meetings
		4.7.1 Planning of Presentations to the Stakeholders
	4.8 Planning of Writing Up the Results
	4.9 Planning in the Second and Subsequent Cycles
	4.10 Roles in Action Planning and the Process of Creating the Plan
	4.11 Example of an Action Plan
	4.12 Action Planning in Experiment Systems
	4.13 Summary
	References
5 Action Taking
	5.1 Introduction
	5.2 Actions in Action Research
	5.3 Principles of Action Taking: Similarity to Experiment Trials
	5.4 Before Taking the Action
		5.4.1 Preparing the Evaluation Framework
		5.4.2 Preparing the Access to the Infrastructure
	5.5 Taking the Action
		5.5.1 Individual Actions
		5.5.2 Actions Involving Others, Like Teams  of Organizations
		5.5.3 Actions Involving Customers
		5.5.4 Knowing When to Pivot
	5.6 Collecting the Data
	5.7 Using Experiment Systems to Collect the Data: A Special Case of Action Taking
	5.8 Summary
	References
6 Evaluation
	6.1 Introduction
	6.2 Cleaning and Preparing the Data
	6.3 Data Visualization
	6.4 Descriptive Statistics
	6.5 Basics of Inferential Statistics
	6.6 Machine Learning Methods
		6.6.1 Clustering
			6.6.1.1 Example of Using Clustering to Find the Complexity of Software Modules
		6.6.2 Classification
			6.6.2.1 Example of Classifying Defects Using Decision Trees in Weka
	6.7 Analysis of Qualitative Data
		6.7.1 Becoming Familiar with the Data
		6.7.2 Generating Initial Codes
		6.7.3 Searching for Themes
		6.7.4 Reviewing Themes
		6.7.5 Defining and Naming Themes
	6.8 Continuous Data Analysis
	6.9 Evaluation in the Second and Subsequent ActionResearch Cycles
	6.10 Evaluation in Software Experiment Systems
	6.11 Summary
	References
7 Specifying Learning
	7.1 Introduction
	7.2 Specifying Learning for Companies and Teams
		7.2.1 Active Learning
		7.2.2 Template for Specifying Learning
	7.3 Contributing to Theory Building
		7.3.1 Examples of Types of Contributions
	7.4 Specifying Learning from Experiment Systems
	7.5 Summary
	References
8 Action Research vs. Design Research
	8.1 Introduction
	8.2 Design Research
		8.2.1 Awareness of the Problem or Problem Investigation
		8.2.2 Treatment or Artifact Design
		8.2.3 Treatment or Artifact Implementation
		8.2.4 Treatment or Artifact Evaluation
	8.3 Similarities and Differences
		8.3.1 When to Choose Which Methodology
	8.4 Summary
	References
9 Ensuring Sustainability of Knowledge
	9.1 Introduction
	9.2 Researcher's Perspective on the Sustainability of Knowledge
	9.3 Practitioner's Perspective on the Sustainability of Knowledge
	9.4 Diagnosing
	9.5 Action Planning
	9.6 Action Taking
	9.7 Evaluating
	9.8 Specifying Learning
	9.9 Summary
	References
10 Validity Evaluation
	10.1 Introduction
	10.2 Construct Validity
	10.3 Internal Validity
	10.4 Conclusion Validity
	10.5 External Validity
	10.6 Summary
	References
11 Reporting Action Research Studies
	11.1 Introduction
	11.2 Basics of Reporting Action Research Studies
	11.3 Working with Results That Are Sensitive to Our Industrial Partners
	11.4 Reporting Studies Focused on Results
	11.5 Reporting Studies Focused on Actions
	11.6 Summary
	References
12 Conclusions
	12.1 Experiences from Working According to Action Research
	12.2 Where Action Research Fits Best
	12.3 Combining Action Research with Other Methodologies
	12.4 Where to Go Next: Action Research with MultipleCompanies
	12.5 Final Remarks
	References