The Future of Software Engineering: Where Will Machine Learning, Agile, and Virtualization Take Us Next?

Software has become the lifeblood of the 21st century, enabling a broad range of commercial, medical, educational, agricultural, and government applications. These applications are designed and deployed through a variety of software best practices. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, developers have embraced virtualization (remote working) and a variety of strategies to manage the complexity of global development on multiple platforms. However, evolving hazards such as network security, algorithm bias, and the combination of careless developers and deliberate attacks continue to be a challenge. An XP2021 panel organized and chaired by Steven Fraser debated the future of software engineering and related topics such education, ethics, and tools. The panel featured Anita Carleton (CMU’s SEI), Priya Marsonia (Cognizant), Bertrand Meyer (SIT, Eiffel Software), Landon Noll (Independent Consultant), and Kati Vilkki (Reaktor).

Laura A. Millar. A Matter of Facts: The Value of Evidence in an Information Age.

The postmodern and post-truth world we live in might have reached its zenith. Written for the general public and not specifically information professionals, Laura A. Millar’s A Matter of Facts: The Value of Evidence in an Information Age grapples with the definitions of data, facts, evidence, and truth and how these parts of information are used and abused in modern society. This volume is the first in the Archival Futures series, jointly published by the Society of American Archivists (SAA) and ALA Neal-Schuman, which will demonstrate “how the preservation and stewardship of the archival record is a collective effort that underpins and supports democratic societies and institutions” (viii). Dr. Millar is an obvious choice to lead the series, given her notable career as an independent consultant and her numerous publications on creating and maintaining archives during the last 30 years. Her passion for the field and conviction in the importance of her topic are apparent throughout the text.

Does Independent Advice to the Board Affect CEO Compensation?

This article investigates the role external advice plays in the board’s determination of chief executive officer (CEO) compensation. We show that CEO incentive pay increases with the degree of compensation consultant independence using a quasi-natural experiment provided by the creation of an independent consultant after separation from an affiliated consultant. Specifically, switching to an independent consultant significantly increases the pay–performance sensitivity and relative performance evaluation of CEO contracts. Despite the benefits of independent advice, independent consultants may not be hired due to the influence of powerful CEOs or because boards already possess adequate expertise.

Practicing Community Psychology in a Small Evaluation and Consulting Firm

Practicing community psychology in a small evaluation and consulting firm can offer a lot of flexibility and autonomy but without some of the challenges of being an independent consultant. This chapter talks about the author’s experience over the past six years of working in such a firm, identifying both some of the benefits and challenges. The author discusses who might be attracted to a position in a small firm such as the one where she works and the preparation that might be useful. It also addresses how the author has increasingly brought both her community psychology competencies and values into her work.