Exploring Empathy in Software Engineering Based on the Practitioners' Perspective

Context. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the emotions of others, a critical skill for software practitioners as it contributes to improved software quality, communication, collaboration, and work environments. Despite its importance, empathy remains an under-researched area in Software Engineering (SE). Aims. To address this knowledge gap, this Ph.D. proposal explores software practitioners' perspectives on empathy in SE. Method. We conducted a qualitative analysis of grey literature, using two platforms—DEV and Medium—as data sources. Results. Our findings highlight the meaning, value, barriers, practices, and effects of empathy in SE. Additionally, we proposed a conceptual framework to support further research and help software professionals cultivate empathetic skills. Conclusion. We plan to survey software practitioners to expand our analysis and assess their perceptions of the conceptual framework’s usefulness, completeness, and accuracy.