Volume 14, Number 3

The Effect of Time Pressure During COVID-19 on Software Quality

  Authors

Asmaa Hassan^1,2 and Omer Alrwais¹, ¹King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, ²King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia

  Abstract

Background: as technology develops, governments, organizations, companies, and individuals develop technical solutions for global problems or crises. Currently, the entire world is experiencing the covid-19 pandemic. During this crisis, efforts have been made to find a technical solution to face or even mitigate the crisis. The development of technological solutions under time pressure is one issue being explored by many researchers. We seek to determine the impact of time pressure on the quality of the developed software or applications, especially in the case of the covid-19 crisis in Saudi Arabia. Method: this research uses interviewing, survey, and analysis of user comments and ratings for the application (the application was developed under time pressure in the covid-19 crisis) in the app store. Results: the research results demonstrated that software quality in this study was positively affected by time pressure. The impact of time pressure on software quality likely depends on a few factors, such as the level of time pressure, the experience of the developers, and the type of software being developed. Conclusions: the development teams can perform well under time pressure. Similarly, the challenge–hindrance framework maintains that time pressure may be a positive source of pressure (challenge) and translate into good stress or a negative source of pressure (hindrance) that corresponds to bad stress. In other words, outcomes derived under time pressure can be positive and negative; pressure is positive when it increases efficiency and negative when it reduces quality. Project managers can maintain quality while working under time pressures. To put it in another way, under optimal pressure, software development teams can complete projects in less time, with less effort, and with good quality. Since the ABC application was developed to improve people’s health and restore normalcy after quarantine, the developers prioritized its development as a mission of national interest. We concluded that the type of time pressure affects app quality, either negatively or positively.

  Keywords

Software Development, Software Quality, Time Pressure, Covid-19