Guidelines for writing software building reports

Abstract

The linkage of software with various areas of knowledge has increased significantly, highlighting the importance of process automation thanks to the expansion of imaginative capabilities in this area. The concept of software now encompasses applications on different operating systems, including PWAs, websites, command line applications and APIs. This landscape demands standardized methods for the creation and dissemination of applications, although there is currently no detailed guidance for writing reports on software creation. It is crucial to adopt methodological guidelines that allow the reproducibility of software research, clearly differentiating between the creation and the evaluation-validation of these tools. Such differentiation helps to avoid confusion and ensures consistency in reporting, especially when the objective is to develop new tools. Before starting software development, it is essential to consider the objective, scope and existence of similar technologies, assessing the real need to create a new solution. The article proposes a detailed outline for writing software development reports, covering from the introduction, method, results, to the discussion and conclusions. This outline covers aspects such as the theoretical and historical framework, the importance and necessity of the product, classification of the study, details of the creation process, technologies used, and software evaluation. It highlights the importance of performing quality tests throughout the development, ensuring that the final results reflect the most recent and conclusive state of the software. The creation of software is presented as a non-linear process that requires iterations and adaptations based on functionality and quality tests, whose results directly influence the progress of the project. The suggested model is flexible, allowing adjustments according to the specific characteristics of the software under development.