* ICSE 2018 *
Sun 27 May - Sun 3 June 2018 Gothenburg, Sweden
Fri 1 Jun 2018 12:15 - 12:30 at R2 - Empirical Studies and Requirements Chair(s): Julia Lawall

Problem-solving on a whiteboard is a popular technical interview technique used in industry. However, several critics have raised concerns that whiteboard interviews can cause excessive stress and cognitive load on candidates, ultimately reinforcing bias in hiring practices. Unfortunately, many sensors used for measuring cognitive state are not robust to movement. In this paper, we describe an approach where we use a head-mounted eye-tracker and computer vision algorithms to collect robust metrics of cognitive state. To demonstrate the feasibility of the approach, we study two proposed interview settings: on the whiteboard and on paper with 11 participants. Our preliminary results suggest that the whiteboard setting pressures candidates into keeping shorter attention lengths and experiencing higher levels of cognitive load compared to solving the same problems on paper. For instance, we observed 60ms shorter fixation durations and 3x more regressions when solving problems on the whiteboard. Finally, we describe a vision for creating a more inclusive technical interview process through future studies of interventions that lower cognitive load and stress.

Fri 1 Jun

Displayed time zone: Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna change

11:00 - 12:30
Empirical Studies and RequirementsNIER - New Ideas and Emerging Results at R2
Chair(s): Julia Lawall Inria/LIP6
11:00
15m
Talk
Replication studies considered harmful
NIER - New Ideas and Emerging Results
Martin Shepperd Brunel University London
DOI Pre-print
11:15
15m
Talk
From Craft to Science: The Road Ahead for Empirical Software Engineering Research
NIER - New Ideas and Emerging Results
Matthias Galster University of Canterbury, Danny Weyns KU Leuven, Antony Tang Swinburne University of Technology, Rick Kazman , Mehdi Mirakhorli Rochester Institute of Technology
11:30
15m
Talk
Towards Saving Money in Using Smart Contracts
NIER - New Ideas and Emerging Results
11:45
15m
Talk
Understanding the impact of software processes on the minds of developers
NIER - New Ideas and Emerging Results
12:00
15m
Talk
Retrospective based on Data-Driven Persona Significance in B-to-B Software Development
NIER - New Ideas and Emerging Results
12:15
15m
Talk
Dazed: Measuring the Cognitive Load of Solving Technical Interview Problems At the Whiteboard
NIER - New Ideas and Emerging Results
Mahnaz (Mana) Behroozi NCSU, Alison Lui , Ian Moore , Denae Ford North Carolina State University, Chris Parnin NCSU
Pre-print