Human Values in Software Artifacts

AI-assisted identification of human values in software artifacts

Project Overview

This research initiative investigates the integration and operationalization of human values within software engineering practices. By leveraging advanced analytical tools, such as large language models and bespoke dashboards, the project examines how values are embedded in software artifacts, including mobile APIs and issue discussions in open-source Android applications. The overarching goal is to provide actionable insights and frameworks that enable developers to systematically identify, visualize, and incorporate human values throughout the software development lifecycle.

Impact and Applications

The project has significantly advanced understanding of the role human values play in software systems, offering practical tools for both academic and industry stakeholders. The development of a Human Values Dashboard enables practitioners to visualize and assess value representation in software repositories, facilitating value-aware decision-making. These findings have applications in the design of ethical, user-centered software, the refinement of agile methodologies, and the improvement of requirements engineering processes, thereby promoting responsible innovation in technology.

International Collaborations

The research is characterized by strong interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty and researchers from Universitas Gadjah Mada, Monash University, RMIT University, and other partner institutions. These partnerships have enriched the project by combining expertise in software engineering, data mining, and human-computer interaction, fostering a holistic approach to the study and implementation of human values in software development.

Publications

Key outputs from this project include:

  1. D. Mougouei, S. Rafi, M. Fahmideh, E. Mougouei, J. A. Khan, H. K. Dam, A. Nurwidyantoro, and M. Chaudron, “Venturing ChatGPT’s lens to explore human values in software artifacts: a case study of mobile APIs,” Behaviour and Information Technology, pp. 1–37, May 2025. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2025.2478278

  2. A. Nurwidyantoro, M. Shahin, M. R. V. Chaudron, W. Hussain, R. Shams, H. Perera, G. Oliver, and J. Whittle, “Human values in software development artefacts: A case study on issue discussions in three Android applications,” Information and Software Technology, vol. 141, p. 106731, Jan. 2022. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2021.106731

  3. A. Nurwidyantoro, M. Shahin, M. Chaudron, W. Hussain, H. Perera, R. A. Shams, “Integrating human values in software development using a human values dashboard,” Empirical Software Engineering, vol. 28, no. 3, art. 67, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10664-023-09000-0

  4. A. Nurwidyantoro, M. Shahin, M. Chaudron, W. Hussain, H. Perera, “Towards a Human Values Dashboard for Software Development: An Exploratory Study,” in Proc. 15th ACM/IEEE Int. Symp. Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement (ESEM), 2021, pp. 1–6. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1145/3475716.3475720 These publications collectively contribute novel methodologies and empirical findings to the field, establishing a foundation for future research and practical adoption.

Future Research Directions

Ongoing and future work will focus on expanding the capabilities of the Human Values Dashboard, integrating more sophisticated natural language processing techniques and machine learning models. The project aims to explore value alignment in additional software domains, investigate the longitudinal impact of value integration on project outcomes, and develop guidelines for embedding human values in emerging software engineering paradigms, such as AI-driven development and privacy engineering.