Enabling informed decision making through mobile technologies: A challenge for software engineering

Abstract

The potential of mobile technologies is not fully exploited by current software services. One of the most influencing reasons for this problem is the lack of novel software engineering methods and tools that can master the complexity of mobile environments. Looking at a person in a smart environment, where mobile technologies and sensors are installed to support daily activities, it is observed that informed decision-making with the help of mobile technologies is beyond what users can expect from current software services. In this paper we present a motivating scenario to highlight the limitations of current decision support approaches. Based on this discussion we identify significant software engineering challenges, which currently hinder the realization of advanced decision support. In our research we have developed an initial version of a comprehensive framework that allows overcoming the challenges identified. It furthermore highlights which software engineering research lines may help to realize this vision.