Understanding the Building Blocks of Accountability in Software Engineering

In the social and organizational sciences, accountability has been linked to the efficient operation of organizations. However, it has received limited attention in software engineering (SE) research, in spite of its central role in the most popular software development methods (e.g., Scrum). In this article, we explore the mechanisms of accountability in SE environments. We investigate the factors that foster software engineers' individual accountability within their teams through an interview study with 12 people. Our findings recognize two primary forms of accountability shaping software engineers individual senses of accountability: institutionalized and grassroots. While the former is directed by formal processes and mechanisms, like performance reviews, grassroots accountability arises organically within teams, driven by factors such as peers' expectations and intrinsic motivation. This organic form cultivates a shared sense of collective responsibility, emanating from shared team standards and individual engineers' inner commitment to their personal, professional values, and self-set standards. While institutionalized accountability relies on traditional "carrot and stick'" approaches, such as financial incentives or denial of promotions, grassroots accountability operates on reciprocity with peers and intrinsic motivations, like maintaining one's reputation in the team.