Kai Stapel

My name is Kai Stapel. I'm a Software Engineer interested in better understanding and improving the way teams develop software. So my Information Flow Theory of Software Development (German) focuses on communication among developers as well as on communication between developers and stakeholders.

Currently, I'm a PhD student in the Software Engineering research group at Leibniz Universität Hannover. I submitted my thesis and I'm about to graduate in April 2012.

Video of my Work

This video was created as part of the FLOW project. It illustrates key concepts of the FLOW method and how FLOW can be applied to improve distributed software development.

Tools

During my work as a research assistant and PhD student at FGSE@LUH I developed, supervised development of, or maintained tools that help to improve software development.

FLOW Editor

The FLOW Editor (German) is a web application for creating FLOW models.

Technologies

Java: Play! framework, XML
JavaScript: AJAX, jQuery, RaphaelJS

Web FLOW Map

The Web FLOW Map is a web application for visualizing communication in distributed software development projects. It can be used to increase awareness in globally distributed teams and to retrospectively analyze communication.

Technologies

Java: Play! framework
JavaScript: AJAX, Comet (long polling), Prototype, RaphaelJS

ProFLOW

ProFLOW is an Eclipse based FLOW editor and a framework for creating graphical notations. ProFLOW was developed as part of the FLOW project.

Technologies

Java: Eclipse Plugin, Graphical Editing Framework, XML, Bezier Splines

Publications

Kai Stapel: Informationsflusstheorie der Softwareentwicklung, Dissertation, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2012, Verlag Dr. Hut.
Kai Stapel, Kurt Schneider: Managing Knowledge on Communication and Information Flow in Global Software Projects, In Expert Systems - Special Issue on Knowledge Engineering in Global Software Development, 2012.
Kai Stapel, Eric Knauss, Kurt Schneider, Nico Zazworka: FLOW Mapping: Planning and Managing Communication in Distributed Teams, Proceedings of 6th IEEE International Conference on Global Software Engineering (ICGSE '11), 2011.
Nico Zazworka, Kai Stapel, Eric Knauss, Forrest Shull, Victor Basili, Kurt Schneider: Are Developers Complying with the Process: An XP Study, 4th International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement (ESEM ‘10), 2010, Best Paper Award
Kai Stapel, Eric Knauss, Kurt Schneider, Matthias Becker: Towards Understanding Communication Structure in Pair Programming, 11th International Conference on Agile Software Development (XP ‘10), 2010
Kai Stapel, Eric Knauss, Kurt Schneider: Using FLOW to Improve Communication of Requirements in Globally Distributed Software Projects, Workshop on Collaboration and Intercultural Issues on Requirements: Communication, Understanding and Softskills (CIRCUS ‘09), 2009
Eric Knauss, Kurt Schneider, Kai Stapel: Learning to Write Better Requirements through Heuristic Critiques, Poster, 17th IEEE Requirements Engineering Conference (RE '09), 2009
Eric Knauss, Kurt Schneider, Kai Stapel: A Game for Taking Requirements Engineering More Seriously, Third International Workshop on Multimedia and Enjoyable Requirements Engineering (MERE '08), 2008
Kurt Schneider, Kai Stapel, Eric Knauss: Beyond Documents: Visualizing Informal Communication, Third International Workshop on Requirements Engineering Visualization (REV '08), 2008
Kai Stapel, Eric Knauss, Christian Allmann: Lightweight Process Documentation: Just Enough Structure in Automotive Pre-Development, 15th European Systems & Software Process Improvement and Innovation Conference (EuroSPI '08), 2008
Kai Stapel, Daniel Lübke, Eric Knauss: Best Practices in eXtreme Programming Course Design, 30th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE ‘08), 2008
Kurt Schneider, Kai Stapel: Informationsflussanalyse für angemessene Dokumentation und verbesserte Kommunikation, Software Engineering 2007 (SE 2007), 2007
Kai Stapel, Kurt Schneider, Daniel Lübke, Thomas Flohr: Improving an Industrial Reference Process by Information Flow Analysis: A Case Study, PROFES 2007, 2007

This list of my publications can also be found at Google Scholar Citations or at my Software Engineering group profile.

Supervised Theses

Stephan Kiesling. Integrating Agile Software Development Cycles into Processes Using Information Flows, Master Thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2011 (German PDF)
Gerrit Nünke. A Recommendation System for Communication Media Choice in Distributed Teams, Bachelor Thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2011 (German PDF)
Hui Song. Supporting the Documentation of Skype-Based Meetings, Bachelor Thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2011 (German PDF)
Philipp Kleybolte. Imrpoving Program Maintenance Through Collection and Analysis of the Implementation History, Master Thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2010 (German PDF)
Melanie Hennemann. A Controlled Experiment on the Effects of Feedback Tools on Requirements Elicitation, Diploma Thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2010 (German PDF)
Robert Cieśnik. A Dashboard to Improve Communication in Distributed Software Development, Bachelor Thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2010 (German PDF)
Roman Fetsch. An Online Catalog for Information Flow Patterns, Bachelor Thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2009 (German PDF)
Michael Gross. Semantic Extension of a Framework for Graphical Editors, Bachelor Thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2009 (German PDF)
Lars de Vries. Guiding Software Development Based on Information Flow Analysis, Master Thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2008 (German PDF)
Bassim Aziz-Safi. A Conpect for Implementing EDI Business Processes with Service Oriented Architectures, Master Thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2008 (German PDF)
Xiaoxuan Ge. FLOW Patterns: Description and Discussion of Information Flow Patterns in Software Development, Master Thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2008 (German PDF)
Karsten Möckel. A Component for Simulating Information Flows in a Process Modelling Framework, Bachelor Thesis, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 2007 (German PDF)

This list of theses I have supervised can also be found at my Software Engineering group profile.

CV

2006 — now: PhD student and research assistant at the Software Engineering research group at Leibniz Universität Hannover.
2004 — 2006: M. Sc. in Computer Science at Leibniz Universität Hannover.
2002 — 2004: B. Sc. in Applied Computer Science at Universität Hannover.
1999 — 2001: Abitur (high school diploma)
1998 — 1999: Exchange student at Colony High School, Wasilla, Alaska, USA