Exploring the application of gamification in the software development process

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of game elements in software development teams and their impact on the software development process in South African financial institutions. The study was instigated by the numerous tools and procedures to administer software development entanglements, which is an ongoing challenge. In recent years, many researchers have investigated the dynamics and issues pertaining to the development team's behaviour. Most organisations are challenged in their development teams and seek new creative methods and solutions to overcome the obstacles to enhance their software development process. A software development process is identified as a set of actions to generate software applications in which humans are a key factor. Considering that it involves human activity, challenges that arise are a user's engagement, collaboration, communication, and motivation may arise. Many researchers seek to enhance the software development process, and innovative research offers emerging practical concepts and techniques. The study adopted a quantitative research design approach founded on the positivist paradigm followed by a deductive approach. A survey was developed to collect data from four selected South African institutions using a questionnaire of 95 respondents. The study's results contribute to knowledge by illustrating that although project teams are aware of the benefits of game elements, it does not necessarily translate into applying game elements. The study revealed that in the context of project team members, engagement, motivation, and performance positively impact the application of gamification in South African financial institutions. Understanding the factors which impact the application of gamification among financial institutions is neglected. Therefore, this research study sought to address a gap in the literature on gamification. Gamification augments the software development process and subdues the challenges connected to human factors. Nevertheless, applying game elements in a software development team is not as straightforward as it may appear because it is a controversial issue that is yet to be investigated by researchers in this field. The outcome of this study brings forth practical recommendations for future research and industry.