Vol. 2 No. 1 (2026)
Articles

The Implementation of Human-Centred Methodologies in Test-Driven Development: A Practical Example Through Value Sensitive Design and Design Thinking

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  • Luca Famà,
  • Antonio Cimino,
  • Vincenzo Corvello
Luca Famà
University of Messina
Antonio Cimino
University of Messina
Vincenzo Corvello
University of Messina

Published 2026-05-30

Keywords

  • Human-Centred,
  • Test-Driven Development,
  • Sensitive-Design,
  • Design-Thinking

How to Cite

Famà, L., Cimino, A., & Corvello, V. (2026). The Implementation of Human-Centred Methodologies in Test-Driven Development: A Practical Example Through Value Sensitive Design and Design Thinking. JOINETECH, 2(1), 57-68. https://doi.org/10.65479/joinetech.38

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Abstract

Test-Driven Development is a software development approach that has become established within agile techniques. It enables the improvement of technical project performance by ensuring rapid feedback between testing and development. The literature on TDD has so far focused on the technical aspects of the process, neglecting those that are more human-centered.
The aim of this study is to analyze whether and how Value Sensitive Design and Design Thinking can be used to improve Test-Driven Development, allowing the identification of users’ values and enhancing their creativity from the earliest stages of software testing. To this end, was developed Open Test 2.0 which is a digital platform designed to support Test-Driven Development while integrating the proposed methodologies. The platform includes several modules that allow testers to explore aspects related to values and creativity through tools such as communities and dedicated questionnaires. The results show that, even during testing activities, the user-tester can be involved not only as a validator of a platform’s usability features, but also as an active co-designer within the development process. It therefore emerges that Test-Driven Development can be supported by other methodologies, specifically, Value Sensitive Design and Design Thinking, which help fill some of its gaps.

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