EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector
EDOS conducts surveys and analyzes information on digitalization in the public sector. The research center will contribute to new knowledge on effective digitalization of the public sector, input on how to improve processes and methods for the development of digital solutions, as well as research-based assistance to the Ministry of Local Government and Modernization and other parts of the public sector.
Key focus areas of the research center:
- Benefits management in the development of IT systems and in digital transformations
- Flexible work processes and flexible organization of software development
- Management and leadership of projects and product development
- Competence evaluation and resource management
- Cooperation and forms of agreement between actors
The center is funded by the Ministry of Local Government and Modernization and was created in 2020.
More information about the center is found on their website.
People at EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector
Who we are?
Simula Metropolitan employees are researchers, postdoctoral fellows, PhD students, engineers and administrative people. We are from all over the world, ranging from newly educated to experienced researchers, all working on making research in digital engineering at the highest international level possible.
Publications at EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector
Journal Article
Improved Measurement of Software Development Effort Estimation Bias
Information and software technology (2023).Status: Accepted
Improved Measurement of Software Development Effort Estimation Bias
Context: While prior software development effort estimation research has examined the properties of estimation error measures, there has not been much research on the properties of measures of estimation bias. Objectives: Improved measurement of software development effort estimation bias. Methods: Analysis of the extent to which measures of estimation bias meet the criterion that perfect estimates should result in zero bias. Results: Recommendations for measurement of estimation bias for estimates of the mean, median, and mode software development effort. The results include the recommendation to avoid a commonly used measure of effort estimation bias. Conclusion: Proper evaluation of estimation bias requires knowledge about the type of estimates evaluated, together with the selection of a measure of estimation bias that gives zero bias for perfect estimates of that type.
| Afilliation | Software Engineering |
| Project(s) | EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2023 |
| Journal | Information and software technology |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
Determining a core view of research quality in empirical software engineering
Computer Standards & Interfaces 84 (2023).Status: Published
Determining a core view of research quality in empirical software engineering
Context:
Research quality is intended to appraise the design and reporting of studies. It comprises a set of standards such as methodological rigor, practical relevance, and conformance to ethical standards. Depending on the perspective, different views of importance are given to the standards for research quality.
Objective:
To investigate the suitability of a conceptual model of research quality to Software Engineering (SE), from the perspective of researchers engaged in Empirical Software Engineering (ESE) research, in order to understand the core value of research quality.
Method:
We conducted a mixed-methods approach with two distinct group perspectives: (i) a research group; and (ii) the empirical SE research community. Our data collection approach comprised a questionnaire survey and a complementary focus group. We carried out a hierarchical voting prioritization to collect relative values for importance of standards for research quality.
Results:
In the context of this research, ‘internally valid’, ‘relevant research idea’, and ‘applicable results’ are perceived as the core standards for research quality in empirical SE. The alignment at the research group level was higher compared to that at the community level.
Conclusion:
The conceptual model was seen to express fairly the standards for research quality in the SE context. It presented limitations regarding its structure and components’ description, which resulted in an updated model.
| Afilliation | Software Engineering |
| Project(s) | EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2023 |
| Journal | Computer Standards & Interfaces |
| Volume | 84 |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
A longitudinal explanatory case study of coordination in a very large development programme: the impact of transitioning from a first- to a second-generation large-scale agile development method
Empirical Software Engineering 28, no. 1 (2023).Status: Published
A longitudinal explanatory case study of coordination in a very large development programme: the impact of transitioning from a first- to a second-generation large-scale agile development method
Large-scale agile development has gained widespread interest in the software industry, but it is a topic with few empirical studies of practice. Development projects at scale introduce a range of new challenges in managing a large number of people and teams, often with high uncertainty about product requirements and technical solutions. The coordination of teams has been identified as one of the main challenges. This study presents a rich longitudinal explanatory case study of a very large software development programme with 10 development teams. We focus on inter-team coordination in two phases: one that applies a first-generation agile development method and another that uses a second-generation one. We identified 27 coordination mechanisms in the first phase, and 14 coordination mechanisms in the second. Based on an analysis of coordination strategies and mechanisms, we develop five propositions on how the transition from a first- to a second-generation method impacts coordination. These propositions have implications for theory and practice.
| Afilliation | Software Engineering |
| Project(s) | EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2023 |
| Journal | Empirical Software Engineering |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Date Published | Jan-01-2023 |
| Publisher | Springer Nature |
| ISSN | 1382-3256 |
| Keywords | coordination mechanisms, inter-team coordination, large-scale agile development, multiteam systems, software development process, Software Engineering |
| URL | https://rdcu.be/c3FQ4 |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10664-022-10230-6 |
Torgeir Dingsøyr is adjunct chief research scientist at the SimulaMet research laboratory. His research has focused on teamwork and learning in software development, as well as development methods for large software projects and programs. He has published in the software engineering, information systems and project management fields. His main position is professor in software engineering – agile at the Department of Computer Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Enabling Autonomous Teams and Continuous Deployment at Scale
IEEE IT Professional (2023).Status: Accepted
Enabling Autonomous Teams and Continuous Deployment at Scale
In this article, we give advice on transitioning to a more agile delivery model for large-scale agile development projects based on experience from the Parental Benefit Project of the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration. The project modernized a central part of the organization’s IT portfolio and included up to ten development teams working in parallel. The project successfully changed from using a delivery model which combined traditional project management elements and agile methods to a more agile delivery model with autonomous teams and continuous deployment. This transition was completed in tandem with the project execution. We identify key lessons learned which will be useful for other organizations considering similar changes and report how the new delivery model reduced risk and opened up a range of new possibilities for delivering the benefits of digitalization.
| Afilliation | Software Engineering |
| Project(s) | EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2023 |
| Journal | IEEE IT Professional |
| Publisher | IEEE |
Backsourcing of Information Technology - A Systematic Literature Review
Submitted to a journal (2023).Status: Submitted
Backsourcing of Information Technology - A Systematic Literature Review
Context: Backsourcing is the process of insourcing previously outsourced activities. When companies experience environmental or strategic changes, or challenges with outsourcing, backsourcing can be a viable alternative. While outsourcing and related processes have been extensively studied in information technology, few studies report experiences with backsourcing.
Objectives: We intend to summarize the results of the research literature on the backsourcing of IT, with a focus on software development. By identifying practical relevance experience, we aim to present findings that may help companies considering backsourcing. In addition, we aim to identify gaps in the current research literature and point out areas for future work.
Method: Our systematic literature review (SLR) started with a search for empirical studies on the backsourcing of IT. From each study we identified the contexts in which backsourcing occurs, the factors leading to the decision to backsource, the backsourcing process itself, and the outcomes of backsourcing. We employed inductive coding to extract textual data from the papers identified and qualitative cross-case analysis to synthesize the evidence from backsourcing experiences.
Results: We identified 17 papers that reported 26 cases of backsourcing, six of which were related to software development. The cases came from a variety of contexts. The most common reasons for backsourcing were improving quality, reducing costs, and regaining control of outsourced activities. The backsourcing process can be described as containing five sub-processes: change management, vendor relationship management, competence building, organizational build-up, and transfer of ownership. Furthermore, we identified 14 positive outcomes and nine negative outcomes of backsourcing. Finally, we aggregated the evidence and detailed three relationships of potential use to companies considering backsourcing.
Conclusion: The backsourcing of IT is a complex process; its implementation depends on the prior outsourcing relationship and other contextual factors. Our systematic literature review may contribute to a better understanding of this process by identifying its components and their relationships based on the peer-reviewed literature. Our results may also serve as a motivation and baseline for further research on backsourcing and may provide guidelines and process fragments from which practitioners can benefit when they engage in backsourcing.
| Afilliation | Software Engineering |
| Project(s) | EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector, Department of IT Management |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2023 |
| Journal | Submitted to a journal |
| Publisher | x |
| Keywords | backshoring, Backsourcing, information technology, software development, Software Engineering, systematic literature review |
Proceedings, refereed
Projects VS Continuous Product Development - Does it Affect Benefits Realization?
In The Ninth International Conference on Advances and Trends in Software Engineering (SOFTENG), 2023.Status: Accepted
Projects VS Continuous Product Development - Does it Affect Benefits Realization?
| Afilliation | Software Engineering |
| Project(s) | Department of IT Management, EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector |
| Publication Type | Proceedings, refereed |
| Year of Publication | 2023 |
| Conference Name | The Ninth International Conference on Advances and Trends in Software Engineering (SOFTENG) |
Book Chapter
Eliciting and Prioritizing Services for Accessible Information - for Residential Real Estate Transactions
In HCI for Health, Well-being, Universal Access and Healthy Aging, 378-395. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022.Status: Published
Eliciting and Prioritizing Services for Accessible Information - for Residential Real Estate Transactions
A number of initiatives are underway for digitalizing real estate transaction processes. Public and private sector bodies are working to automate information retrieval and processing of the financial, ordinance and fiscal aspects of such transactions. Other initiatives, such as ours, are targeted toward helping stakeholders directly involved in selling and buying real estate. We present the results from a set of group sessions, where the focus was on improving the presentation of salient information to sellers and buyers of property. Based on an earlier conceptualization of perceived information difficulties, we elicited user stories for facilitating a better generation, provision and consumption of relevant information for the residential real estate transaction process. A total of ten services were aggregated from the user stories. We then asked a set of stakeholders to rate the effect of the services on functional objectives; i.e., on how they will affect the transaction process. We asked stakeholders at the managerial level to rate the functional objectives on strategic objectives. Combining the two sets of ratings, one obtains a rating of perceived benefit for the services, which can help in prioritzing which services to start developing first. In the outset, real estate transactions involve stakeholders with opposing interests. We conclude that multi-stakeholder group sessions can help generate services that serve these conflicting interests on a common ground.
| Afilliation | Software Engineering |
| Project(s) | EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector |
| Publication Type | Book Chapter |
| Year of Publication | 2022 |
| Book Title | HCI for Health, Well-being, Universal Access and Healthy Aging |
| Series Volume | LNCS 13521 |
| Pagination | 378-395 |
| Publisher | Springer International Publishing |
| Place Published | Cham |
| URL | https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-17902-0_27 |
| DOI | 10.1007/978-3-031-17902-0_27 |
Scenario Design for Healthcare Collaboration Training under Suboptimal Conditions
In Digital Human Modeling and Applications in Health, Safety, Ergonomics and Risk Management. Health, Operations Management, and Design, 197-214. Vol. 19. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022.Status: Published
Scenario Design for Healthcare Collaboration Training under Suboptimal Conditions
Health care today usually consists of various services covering various parts of the total health care of a region or country. These services are required to coordinate and collaborate, often using procedures and IT collaboration tools that may not be designed for interoperating across the evolving wider landscape of health care services. We posit that it is necessary to train personnel in collaboration skills using whatever infrastructure is in place. To this end, we present design principles for simulation-based collaboration training scenarios that emphasizes the inclusion of suboptimal infrastructure elements. We applied the principles in a co-creational workshop with healthcare stakeholders from a hospital and surrounding municipalities in Norway where we discussed cases where collaboration training is perceived as critical. We elicited five training vignettes concerning the general case of detecting, and following up on, clinical deterioration in a patient at home or in a nursing home. We found that the design principles spurred highly relevant discussions among participants and that novel ideas for collaboration training were brought forth on the basis of these principles. We conclude that there is a potential in using these principles for eliciting training vignettes that address the actual situation more accurately.
| Afilliation | Software Engineering |
| Project(s) | EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector |
| Publication Type | Book Chapter |
| Year of Publication | 2022 |
| Book Title | Digital Human Modeling and Applications in Health, Safety, Ergonomics and Risk Management. Health, Operations Management, and Design |
| Volume | 19 |
| Series Volume | LNCS 13320 |
| Pagination | 197-214 |
| Publisher | Springer International Publishing |
| Place Published | Cham |
| Keywords | Healthcare Collaboration, IT Services, Procedures, Scenario Design, Simulation-based training, Stakeholder Journey Analysis |
Stakeholder Perceptions on Requirements for Accessible Technical Condition Information in Residential Real Estate Transactions
In Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Novel Design Approaches and Technologies , 242-259. Vol. 7. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022.Status: Published
Stakeholder Perceptions on Requirements for Accessible Technical Condition Information in Residential Real Estate Transactions
Buyers of residential real estate frequently experience dissatisfaction with the property they have purchased. Recent findings suggest that insufficient knowledge about the property is a key trigger to ensuing disappointment and claims for compensation. Further, a good technical condition report reduces the probability of dissatisfaction and insurance claims. For the purpose of designing services for improving technical condition information and its flow, we elicited stakeholder perceptions on the suitability of residential real estate technical condition reports. Specifically, we conducted multiple surveys which we content analyzed and used as the basis for a conceptual model of information products and dependencies needed to deliver better information to stakeholders in a real estate transaction process. The conceptual model, in turn, forms the basis for specific service design in future work.
| Afilliation | Software Engineering |
| Project(s) | EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector |
| Publication Type | Book Chapter |
| Year of Publication | 2022 |
| Book Title | Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Novel Design Approaches and Technologies |
| Volume | 7 |
| Chapter | 16 |
| Series Volume | LNCS 13308 |
| Pagination | 242-259 |
| Publisher | Springer International Publishing |
| Place Published | Cham |
| ISBN Number | 978-3-031-05027-5 |
| Keywords | Conflict Reduction, Information Services, Residential Real Estate Transactions, Technical Condition Information |
Journal Article
Enabling Autonomous Teams and Continuous Deployment at Scale
IT Professional 24, no. 6 (2022): 47-53.Status: Published
Enabling Autonomous Teams and Continuous Deployment at Scale
| Afilliation | Software Engineering |
| Project(s) | EDOS: Effective Digitalization of Public Sector |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2022 |
| Journal | IT Professional |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pagination | 47 - 53 |
| Date Published | Jan-11-2022 |
| Publisher | IEEE Computer Society |
| Place Published | New York City |
| ISSN | 1520-9202 |
| URL | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10017407/http://xplorestaging.ieee.... |
| DOI | 10.1109/MITP.2022.3209871 |
Torgeir Dingsøyr is adjunct chief research scientist at the SimulaMet research laboratory. His research has focused on teamwork and learning in software development, as well as development methods for large software projects and programs. He has published in the software engineering, information systems and project management fields. His main position is professor in software engineering – agile at the Department of Computer Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology.