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The Nature of Software

Focus Leaders

This Focus Group ‘The Nature of Software’, in research and education, aims at developing a comprehensive understanding of the principles, techniques, and socio-economic elements underlying the specification, implementation, analysis, use, and maintenance of modern evolving software systems. It is the stated goal of this focus group to advance and mature both the technological foundations and the thought processes governing the production of state-of-the-art software systems in Australia and abroad.

Current Focus Group Research Themes

Applied Software Engineering

Applied Software Engineering targets the usable software systems. Our focus is on developing and fostering the skills and techniques that enable software engineers to meet the new market demands. In particular, we seek to investigate theoretical and practical means involving tool and meta-tool support, adaptive interfaces, and visual modelling languages. Through extensive collaboration with other research and industry partner we aim at advancing the thought process being used to build modern, large-scale software systems.

Foundations of Software Engineering

Foundations of Software Engineering is actively investigating means to provide better support for the understanding, construction, validation, and maintenance of evolving software systems. Our focus is on the theoretical foundations of software engineering. We seek to develop new programming support for the specification of evolving software systems, discover better analysis and testing techniques and tools to facilitate the construction of reliable software systems, and promote the modern software engineering principles in the classroom.

Human Computer Interaction

Human Computer Interaction (HCI) is concerned with the study of creative, innovative, human applications and complementary tools that are specifically designed to meet the needs of the user. Our focus is on HCI education, supporting the development of software solutions and working closely with industry. We aim at enhancing existing and further develop industry links in order to advance our research in HCI and ensure the successful development of usable systems.

Primary Members

  • Dr Clinton Woodward
  • Dr Edmonds Lau
  • Dr Graham Farrell
  • Dr Jean-Guy-Schneider
  • Professor John Grundy
  • Dr Karola von Baggo
  • Dr Rajesh Vasa
  • Mr Kon Mouzakis