Cloud computing has captured the attention of both the researchers and practitioners alike. Companies and other cloud users are expecting to receive significant benefits from the new cloud based technologies. To what extent these benefits materialize for enterprise IT is not clearly understood. In this paper, we examine the perceived benefits of cloud computing from the cloud users' perspectives. Cloud users include users of SaaS/PaaS/IaaS, ranging from end-users, to service developers and system administrators. Using content analysis techniques, we examine one of the major discussion forums of cloud computing. Rather than offering a yes/no answer to the question posed, we offer five empirically drawn insights on the perceived benefits of cloud computing. It is proposed that the empirical insights gained are valuable to both researchers and practitioners. The value lies in a more holistic view on the promised benefits' landscape.
Nattakarn Phaphoom, Nilay V. Oza, Xiaofeng Wang et al.· WICSA/ECSA Companion Volume· 25 citations· ⚡3
Emerging agile software development methods are people ori- ented development approaches to be used by the software industry. The personal software process (PSP SM ) is an accepted method for im- proving the capabilities of a single software engineer. Five original hy- potheses regarding the impact of the PSP to individual performance are tested. Data is obtained from 58 computer science students in three university courses on the master level, which were held in two different educational institutions in Finland and Denmark. Statistical data treat- ment shows that the use of PSP did not improve size and time estima- tion skills but that the productivity did not decrease and the resulting product quality was improved. The implications of these findings are briefly addressed.
P. Abrahamsson, K. Kautz, Heikki Sieppi et al.· arXiv.org· 1 citation
This paper presents an empirical study on how self- organized software teams could attain high performance using agile and lean practices. In particular, the paper qualitatively examines characteristics of high performance and self- organization in one project team. The case under study is a customer-driven student project, carried out to develop an alpha-version prototype. The paper also studies how certain agile software practices aid in initialising self-organization in the team. The main results indicate that self-organization as supported by certain Agile and Lean practices helps teams in achieving higher performance.
Vaibhav Oza, Petri Kettunen, P. Abrahamsson et al.· arXiv.org· 7 citations
Quality managers, change agents and researchers are often troubled in defining and demonstrating the level of success achieved in software process improvement (SPI) initiatives. So far, there exist only few frameworks for identifying the level of success achieved in SPI. Analysis shows that these frameworks do not provide a comprehensive view from all relevant stakeholders involved in SPI. Early results from an ongoing research effort to discover and operationalise success dimensions are reported. Adapted from the project management literature it is suggested that five dimensions characterise the level of success achieved in SPI: (1) project efficiency, (2) impact on the process user, (3) business success, (4) direct operational success and (5) process improvement fit. Results from an empirical analysis are reported where 23 change agents evaluated the relative level of importance of each dimension. Early results indicate that change agents valued the process user satisfaction the most and the process improvement fit the least. This finding confirms the need of having various stakeholders and dimensions acknowledged in a framework that is used to measure the overall success of an SPI initiative.
The visionary PhysioNet platform launched 25 years ago, based on a system developed at MIT in the 1970s. It has become one of the most comprehensive biomedical and clinical data repositories in existence.
Known for his clear and elegant writing style, Bertsekas shaped fields from control and optimization to large-scale computation and artificial intelligence.
MIT News · Artificial Intelligence· news.mit.eduJul 6, 2026
PhD student Rachel Sava, winner of the Envisioning the Future of Computing Prize, explores transformative improvements and dystopian risks of neural technology.
MIT News · Artificial Intelligence· news.mit.eduJun 30, 2026
Computer scientist Phillip Isola cuts through the hype to explain how AI agents work and what the future might hold for this rapidly advancing technology.