Empirical Studies for Quantum Software Engineering

The 3rd edition of the workshop on Empirical Studies for Quantum Software Engineering (E-QSE) aims to provide a dedicated forum for researchers and practitioners to present and discuss empirical research on quantum software engineering (QSE).

The workshop is expected to offer participants a clear overview of the current QSE landscape, contributing to the definition of key terms, challenges, and opportunities in the field. Through the exchange of experiences, case analyses, and discussions on quantum programming technologies, the workshop will shed light on both the practical implications of integrating quantum components into software systems and the interplay between classical and quantum engineering practices.

Ultimately, these activities aim to support the development of a concise roadmap for future research. To reinforce this objective, the workshop will conclude with an interactive session, structured using Liberating Structures, designed to foster collective reflection and collaboratively shape promising research directions.

Call for Papers

Topics of interest

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Studies on the effectiveness of different development methodologies for quantum software
• Definition and evaluation of software metrics for quantum programs
• Empirical studies on testing methodologies for quantum software
• Studies on integrating quantum components into classical software applications
• Assessment of tools supporting quantum software development, including simulators, optimizers, and debuggers
• User studies to understand the experience of software engineers working with quantum programming languages and tools
• Case studies of quantum software engineering projects in industry settings
• Investigation into the cognitive aspects of designing and developing quantum software
• Lessons learned and challenges faced during the development and deployment of quantum software applications

We welcome submissions employing any empirical research method, including qualitative approaches—such as grounded theory, interviews, and case studies—and quantitative approaches—such as mining studies, data science analyses, experiments, and hypothesis testing. We also encourage literature review papers, replication studies, and mixed-method investigations.

Consistent with EASE emphasis on methodological rigor rather than outcome-driven contributions, we explicitly welcome studies reporting negative or non-significant results.

How to submit

All papers must be submitted in PDF format through EasyChair. Page limit will be 10 for regular submissions and 5 for short papers, including all figures, tables, references, and appendices.

All submissions should use the official ACM Primary Article Template: https://www.acm.org/publications/proceedings-template Deviating from the ACM formatting instructions may lead to a desk rejection.

Authors must comply with the SIGSOFT Open Science Policy: https://github.com/acmsigsoft/open-science-policies/blob/master/sigsoft-open-science-policies.md (i.e., to archive data and artifacts in a permanent repository—e.g., Zenodo, not GitHub—to the extent ethically and practically possible, and include links in a Data Availability section in their manuscripts).

E-QSE 2026 will employ a double-anonymous review process. Do not include author names or affiliations in submissions. All references to the author’s prior work should be in the third person. Any online supplements, replication packages, etc., referred to in the work should also be anonymized. Advice for sharing supplements anonymously can be found here: https://ineed.coffee/post/how-to-disclose-data-for-double-blind-review-and-make-it-archived-open-data-upon-acceptance

By submitting to E-QSE, authors agree to the ACM Policy and Procedures on Plagiarism, Misrepresentation, and Falsification: https://www.acm.org/publications/policies/plagiarism-overview Papers submitted to EASE must not be published or under review elsewhere. The Program Chairs may use plagiarism detection software under contract to the ACM. If the research involves human participants/subjects, the authors must adhere to the ACM Publications Policy on Research Involving Human Participants and Subjects: https://www.acm.org/publications/policies/research-involving-human-participants-and-subjects

Review criteria

All papers will be subjected to a thorough peer review process, with a focus on originality, quality, soundness, and relevance. The workshop will use a double-blind review process, with three members of the program committee reviewing each submitted paper.

The review process will follow the same criteria of the main conference, namely:

• Soundness: The extent to which the paper’s contributions and innovations address its research questions and are supported by rigorous application of appropriate research methods
• Significance: The extent to which the paper’s contributions can impact the field of software engineering and under which assumptions (if any)
• Novelty: The extent to which the contributions are sufficiently original with respect to the state-of-the-art
• Verifiability and Transparency: The extent to which the paper includes sufficient information to understand how an innovation works, how data was obtained, analyzed, and interpreted, and how the paper supports independent verification or replication of the paper’s claimed contributions
• Presentation: The extent to which the paper’s quality of writing meets the high standards of EASE, including clear descriptions, adequate use of the English language, absence of significant ambiguity, clearly readable figures and tables, and adherence to the formatting instructions provided above

The workshop will be held over one full day, with several sessions whose structure will vary depending on the number of accepted papers.

The workshop will open with a brief introductory session, during which the organizers will present the goals of the event and outline the schedule. The introduction will be followed by a keynote delivered by a leading expert in the field.

Subsequently, the accepted papers will be presented, according to the final number of submissions selected for publication. Each presentation will be followed by ample time for questions and discussion, ensuring a constructive and engaging environment for all participants.

At the end of the workshop, approximately one hour will be dedicated to a collective brainstorming session, fully aligned with the broader goals that workshops typically aim to achieve: building shared knowledge, identifying promising research directions, and laying the groundwork for the Special Issue we plan to organize—following the success of previous years.

To facilitate this final interactive phase, the chairs will rely on Liberating Structures (https://www.liberatingstructures.com), a well-established method for structuring group conversations, aimed at fostering effective communication, equal participation, and a welcoming atmosphere.