Gamifying Testing in IntelliJ: A Replicability Study

Abstract: Gamification is an emerging technique to enhance motivation and performance in traditionally unengaging tasks like software testing. Previous studies have indicated that gamified systems have the potential to improve software testing processes by providing testers with achievements and feedback. However, further evidence of these benefits across different environments, programming languages, and participant groups is required. This paper aims to replicate and validate the effects of IntelliGame, a gamification plugin for IntelliJ IDEA to engage developers in writing and executing tests. The objective is to generalize the benefits observed in earlier studies to new contexts, i.e., the TypeScript programming language and a larger participant pool. The replicability study consists of a controlled experiment with 174 participants, divided into two groups: one using IntelliGame and one with no gamification plugin. The study employed a two-group experimental design to compare testing behavior, coverage, mutation scores, and participant feedback between the groups. Data was collected through test metrics and participant surveys, and statistical analysis was performed to determine the statistical significance. Participants using IntelliGame showed higher engagement and productivity in testing practices than the control group, evidenced by the creation of more tests, increased frequency of executions, and enhanced utilization of testing tools. This ultimately led to better code implementations, highlighting the effectiveness of gamification in improving functional outcomes and motivating users in their testing endeavors. The replication study confirms that gamification, through IntelliGame, positively impacts software testing behavior and developer engagement in coding tasks.