Estudos empíricos sobre o uso de gamificação em modelagem de software com UML

Abstract

Gamification has emerged as a promising strategy to increase engagement and motivation across different domains, including Software Engineering, where UML modeling remains a central activity but faces recurring challenges related to adoption and effective use. Despite its potential, little is known about how gamified elements can support the modeling process or improve the quality of the produced models. In this context, this thesis investigates three main gaps: the lack of empirical knowledge on the use of UML in industry, the absence of a quality model to evaluate gamified modeling activities, and the scarcity of evidence regarding the effects of gamification on the quality of UML models. The general objective is to produce empirical knowledge on the use of gamification in software modeling, proposing mechanisms to evaluate the models generated and analyzing the effects of gamified techniques on learning and on the quality of the artifacts. To achieve this, a survey with IT professionals was conducted, followed by the development and evaluation of a gamified quality model, and a series of empirical studies—including controlled experiments and a case study—aimed at investigating attributes such as completeness, consistency, motivation, and analytical depth. The results indicate that, although well know, UML still encounters adoption barriers associated with organizational culture and language complexity; they also show that the proposed quality model is perceived as useful to support learning; and they provide evidence that gamified elements can improve engagement, the diversity of the produced artifacts, and the accuracy in detecting inconsistencies. It is concluded that gamification has the potential to enhance both the practice and teaching of software modeling, supporting the creation of more complete and robust UML models and contributing to increased participant motivation.