Context – Motivation and job satisfaction are not the same thing, and although business organisation research recognised this a long time ago, in Software Engineering research, we have not. As a result, thirty years of research on motivation in software engineering has produced knowledge on what makes software engineers generally happier, but not about how to increase their motivation. Goal – In this article, we aim to identify visible signs of a software engineer who is motivated to work. Method – We describe a field study in which 62 practitioners in Brazil reported their view of "motivation" in the context of their practical work. Data was collected by means of audio-recorded semi-structured interviews, and a thematic analysis was applied to identify the most relevant descriptors of motivation. Results – Our data reveal that (1) motivated Software Engineers are engaged, focused, and collaborative; and (2) the term "motivation" is used as an umbrella term to cover several distinct organizational behaviours that are not necessarily related to the individual ́s desire to work. Conclusions – Without a clear picture of the difference between these two concepts, work-based motivation programs may not be designed effectively to address either turnover or performance issues. Overall, this work indicates the need for a more effective conceptual system to investigate and encourage both job satisfaction and work motivation in software engineering research and practice.

1. Motivated software engineers
are engaged and focused,
while satisfied ones are happy
César França, Helen Sharp, Fabio Q. B. da Silva
franca@cesar.org.br
C.E.S.A.R - Centre for Advanced Studies and Systems at Recife – Brazil
Computing and Communications Dept. The Open University, UK
Centre for Informatics - Federal University of Pernambuco - Brazil
ESEM 2014 1

2. Agenda
1. Context
2. Theory
3. RelatedWork
4. Goals and Methods
5. Results
6. Interpretation
7. Conclusion
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3. Context
Why is it relevant for S.E. ?
1. Software development is a
socio-technical activity
2. Software industry faces high
rates of turnover
3. Software engineers are
different {Psychometrically speaking}!
4. Software engineering is
different {Knowledge-intensive work}!
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Couger, J. D., & Zawacki, R. A. (1980). Motivating and Managing Computer Personnel (p. 213).
Wallgren, L. G. (2011). Work motivation and the work environment of IT consultants. University
DeMarco, T., Lister, T. (1999). Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams (2nd Editio., p.
Morgan, J., Campione, W., & Jerrel, M. (2004). Wages and Voluntary Labor Turnover:
Wiley. Retrieved from
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471084859/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00
of Gothenburg.
245). Dorset House. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0932633439
Comparing IT Workers with other professionals. Journal of Economics and Economic
Education Research, 5(1), 99–126.

4. ...but it seems that we didn’t know that (in SE)!
Oucomes of Motivation:
• Retention
• On-time and On-budget Deliveries
• Productivity
• Low absenteeism
• Project success
• Organizational commitment
Context
Motivation and Satisfaction are NOT the same thing...
França, A. C. C., Gouveia, T. B., Santos, P. C. F., Santana, C., & da
Beecham, S., Baddoo, N., Hall, T., Robinson, H., & Sharp, H. (2008).
Hall, T., Baddoo, N., Beecham, S., Robinson, H., & Sharp, H. (2009).
Silva, F. Q. B. (2011). Motivation in software engineering: a
systematic review update. In International Conference on
Evaluation & Assessment in Software Engineering (EASE) (pp.
154–163). IET. doi:10.1049/ic.2011.0019
Motivation in Software Engineering: A systematic literature
review. Information and Software Technology, 50(9-10), 860–
878. doi:10.1016/j.infsof.2007.09.004
A systematic review of theory use in studies investigating the
motivations of software engineers. ACM Transactions on
Software Engineering and Methodology, 18(3), 1–29.
doi:10.1145/1525880.1525883
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40 / 140 papers
do not mention any theory
of motivation or satisfaction
8 different theories
are mentioned in the remaining
100 papers
Levels of Theory Usage: The Job Characteristics Theory (#55)
#31 papers
only
mentioned it
#17 papers
used it to measure
Job Characteristics
somewhere
#3 papers
used it
to discuss/evaluate
their studies’ results
#4 papers
(partially)
tested it
Levels of Theory Usage: Goal-Setting Theory (#17)
#14 papers
only
mentioned it
#1 paper
used it to discuss/evaluate
Its studies’ results
#2 papers
(partially)
tested it

5. Theory
Work Motivation x Job Satisfaction
Action
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Work Motivation
“being turned on to one’s work”
Hackman, 1980
Job Satisfaction
“Job satisfaction is the pleasurable
emotional state resulting from the
appraisal of one’s job as achieving
or facilitating the achievement of
one’s job values. ”
Locke, 1969
Hackman, J. R. (1980). Work redesign and motivation. Professional Psychology, 11(3), 445–455.
doi:10.1037//0735-7028.11.3.445
Locke, E. a. (1969). What is job satisfaction? Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 4(4),
309–336. doi:10.1016/0030-5073(69)90013-0

6. Goals andMethods
Research Question
Job Satisfaction
Work Motivation
?
Happiness
Job Satisfaction
Out comes
Attendance
Continuance intention
Health
RQ1. What signs represent
motivated behaviour
of software engineers?
Work Motivation
Outcomes
Performance
Workplace Factors:
Organizational Context
Pay
Recognition
Promotion
Benefits
Working conditions
Company
Agents
Supervisors
Co-workers
The work itself
Task variety
Task significance
Task identity
Autonomy
Feedback
Individual
Characteristics
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Hackman, J. R. (1980). Work redesign and motivation. Professional Psychology, 11(3), 445–455.
doi:10.1037//0735-7028.11.3.445
Locke, E. a. (1969). What is job satisfaction? Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 4(4),
309–336. doi:10.1016/0030-5073(69)90013-0

7. Goals andMethods
The Multi-Case Study
.gov .org .com .edu
.net
Single
Protocol
Interviews
Diary Studies
Documents

8. Goals andMethods
What, Why & How
New research questions:
• What meanings practitioners
attributed to the term
“motivation”?
Cross-case Analysis
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Q1 • How How do would they define you define the term
the term
“motivation”?
“motivation”?
Q2 • How How do would they perceive you describe clearly
a clearly
motivated motivated co-and worker?
demotivated co-workers?
Q3 How would you describe a co-worker
• Are these that is perceptions clearly not motivated?
aligned with
the theory?
Localized (grounded) theories
Thematic
Analysis
Org.
1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
Org.
2
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
Org.
3
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
Org.
4
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
Org.
5
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
1 0 1

9. Results
for Q1: How they defined the term “motivation”
“Job satisfaction is the pleasurable
emotional state resulting from the
appraisal of one’s job as achieving or
facilitating the achievement of one’s job
values. ”
Locke, 1969
“being turned on to one’s work”
Hackman, 1980
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Hackman, J. R. (1980). Work redesign and motivation. Professional Psychology, 11(3), 445–455.
doi:10.1037//0735-7028.11.3.445
Locke, E. a. (1969). What is job satisfaction? Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 4(4),
309–336. doi:10.1016/0030-5073(69)90013-0

10. Results
for Q1 and Q2: How they described {not} motivated co-workers
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11. Interpretation
Concepts and Descriptors
Cycle of Action
Motivation
• Engagement
• Concentration
{Atomic}
Action
• Collaboration
• Productivity
• Creativity
Satisfaction
• Happiness
{Perceived}
Results of
the action
Motivation Quadrant
Engaged
Motivated
Frenetic
Demotivated Homeostatic
Distracted Focused
Not Engaged
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12. Conclusions
So What?
• Main Contributions:
• To highlight the distinction between
these two concepts in the E. S.E.
community
• ...are you interested in retaining people, or in
producing more?
• Evidence that practitioners do not
distinguish these concepts
• ...so it may not be a good idea to ask them if they
are (or fell) motivated
• Observational traits of motivated
behaviour of software engineers.
• ...to improve empirical research on this area
• Main limitations
• Brazilian organizations
• ...and culture may be a relevant factor!
• Future work(s)
• Review the literature on
antecedentes of engagement and
focus
• Adapt existing theories from other
fields to the software engineering
context
• Coming soon...!
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13. Motivated software engineers are engaged and focused,
while satisfied ones are happy
Thank You!!
César França, Helen Sharp, Fabio Q. B. da Silva
franca@cesar.org.br
C.E.S.A.R - Centre for Advanced Studies and Systems at Recife – Brazil
Computing and Communications Dept. The Open University, UK
Centre for Informatics - Federal University of Pernambuco - Brazil
ESEM 2014 13