Communication and Meta-Communication in Software Engineering

This paper examines the role of meta-communication in the software engineering process. It explores how IT project communication and management tools are vital for software engineering, with a focus on the internet, email, and printed materials. The study highlights the increasing importance of socio-cognitive engineering (SCE) in identifying human and organizational decisional errors in high-risk conditions, as seen in failed IT projects. Project Communications Management is crucial in ensuring all team members and stakeholders remain aligned, preventing process breakdowns that could impact the final product. The paper discusses socio-cognitive modeling of Integrated Software Engineering using the TOGA meta-theory. Detailed aspects of cognitive decision-making and potential human errors are presented, along with a TOGA-based network model to analyze software developer and manager errors. The classification of decision-making contexts is suggested to diagnose errors and train IT project management staff effectively.