Case studies for software engineers

Abstract

The topic of this full-day tutorial was the correct use and interpretation of case studies as an empirical research method. Using an equal blend of lecture and discussion, it gave attendees a foundation for conducting, reviewing, and reading case studies. There were lessons for software engineers as researchers who conduct and report case studies, reviewers who evaluate papers, and practitioners who are attempting to apply results from papers. The main resource for the course was the book Case Study Research: Design and Methods by Robert K. Yin. This text was supplemented with positive and negative examples from the literature.