{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7165142350","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2026.108234","title":"A Qualitative Study on XAI Techniques for Software Defect Prediction","display_name":"A Qualitative Study on XAI Techniques for Software Defect Prediction","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-06-19","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7165142350","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2026.108234"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1016/j.infsof.2026.108234","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2026.108234","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S205010575","display_name":"Information and Software Technology","issn_l":"0950-5849","issn":["0950-5849","1873-6025"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320990","host_organization_name":"Elsevier BV","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320990"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Elsevier BV"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Information and Software Technology","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"hybrid","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2026.108234","any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5138908265","display_name":"Saumendu Roy","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I32625721","display_name":"University of Saskatchewan","ror":"https://ror.org/010x8gc63","country_code":"CA","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I32625721"]}],"countries":["CA"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Saumendu Roy","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Pl, Saskatoon, Canada"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Pl, Saskatoon, Canada","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I32625721"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5138963018","display_name":"Banani Roy","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I32625721","display_name":"University of Saskatchewan","ror":"https://ror.org/010x8gc63","country_code":"CA","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I32625721"]}],"countries":["CA"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Banani Roy","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Pl, Saskatoon, Canada"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Pl, Saskatoon, Canada","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I32625721"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5138887963","display_name":"Chanchal K. Roy","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I32625721","display_name":"University of Saskatchewan","ror":"https://ror.org/010x8gc63","country_code":"CA","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I32625721"]}],"countries":["CA"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Chanchal K. Roy","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Pl, Saskatoon, Canada"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, 110 Science Pl, Saskatoon, Canada","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I32625721"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5071052367","display_name":"Foutse Khomh","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5704-4173"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I45683168","display_name":"Polytechnique Montr\u00e9al","ror":"https://ror.org/05f8d4e86","country_code":"CA","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I45683168"]}],"countries":["CA"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Foutse Khomh","raw_affiliation_strings":["Department of Software Engineering, Polytechnique Montr\u00e9al, 2500, Polytechnique Road, Montreal, Canada"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Department of Software Engineering, Polytechnique Montr\u00e9al, 2500, Polytechnique Road, Montreal, Canada","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I45683168"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":2,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5138908265"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I32625721"],"apc_list":{"value":3350,"currency":"USD","value_usd":3350},"apc_paid":{"value":3350,"currency":"USD","value_usd":3350},"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.9276381,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":true},"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":"198","issue":null,"first_page":"108234","last_page":"108234"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10260","display_name":"Software Engineering Research","score":0.5241000056266785,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10260","display_name":"Software Engineering Research","score":0.5241000056266785,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1710","display_name":"Information Systems"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12026","display_name":"Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI)","score":0.2935999929904938,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11652","display_name":"Imbalanced Data Classification Techniques","score":0.013100000098347664,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/consistency","display_name":"Consistency (knowledge bases)","score":0.7343999743461609},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/feature","display_name":"Feature (linguistics)","score":0.6215999722480774},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ranking","display_name":"Ranking (information retrieval)","score":0.6136000156402588},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/software-bug","display_name":"Software bug","score":0.5335999727249146},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/software","display_name":"Software","score":0.5320000052452087},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/reliability","display_name":"Reliability (semiconductor)","score":0.5127999782562256},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/trustworthiness","display_name":"Trustworthiness","score":0.46950000524520874},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/software-metric","display_name":"Software metric","score":0.45410001277923584}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776436953","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5163215","display_name":"Consistency (knowledge bases)","level":2,"score":0.7343999743461609},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776401178","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12050496","display_name":"Feature (linguistics)","level":2,"score":0.6215999722480774},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C189430467","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7293293","display_name":"Ranking (information retrieval)","level":2,"score":0.6136000156402588},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.5817999839782715},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C1009929","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q179550","display_name":"Software bug","level":3,"score":0.5335999727249146},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777904410","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7397","display_name":"Software","level":2,"score":0.5320000052452087},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C43214815","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7310987","display_name":"Reliability (semiconductor)","level":3,"score":0.5127999782562256},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C124101348","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q172491","display_name":"Data mining","level":1,"score":0.4921000003814697},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C153701036","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q659974","display_name":"Trustworthiness","level":2,"score":0.46950000524520874},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.45590001344680786},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C82214349","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q657339","display_name":"Software metric","level":5,"score":0.45410001277923584},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.4431999921798706},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C164226766","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7293202","display_name":"Rank (graph theory)","level":2,"score":0.4406000077724457},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C117447612","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1412670","display_name":"Software quality","level":4,"score":0.41850000619888306},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778334786","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1586270","display_name":"Variation (astronomy)","level":2,"score":0.3898000121116638},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C169258074","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q245748","display_name":"Random forest","level":2,"score":0.38510000705718994},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2987757206","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q494735","display_name":"Statistical software","level":2,"score":0.3847000002861023},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2986587452","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q938438","display_name":"Statistical analysis","level":2,"score":0.3384999930858612},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C139676723","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1193832","display_name":"Sign (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.323199987411499},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2522767166","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2374463","display_name":"Data science","level":1,"score":0.305400013923645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C148483581","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q446488","display_name":"Feature selection","level":2,"score":0.28850001096725464},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C168065819","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q845566","display_name":"Debugging","level":2,"score":0.28600001335144043},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C149782125","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160039","display_name":"Econometrics","level":1,"score":0.27549999952316284},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C114289077","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3284399","display_name":"Statistical model","level":2,"score":0.2614000141620636},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C45804977","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7239673","display_name":"Predictive modelling","level":2,"score":0.26080000400543213},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C105795698","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12483","display_name":"Statistics","level":1,"score":0.2531999945640564},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C117220453","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5172842","display_name":"Correlation","level":2,"score":0.2513999938964844}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1016/j.infsof.2026.108234","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2026.108234","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S205010575","display_name":"Information and Software Technology","issn_l":"0950-5849","issn":["0950-5849","1873-6025"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320990","host_organization_name":"Elsevier BV","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320990"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Elsevier BV"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Information and Software Technology","raw_type":"journal-article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.1016/j.infsof.2026.108234","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2026.108234","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S205010575","display_name":"Information and Software Technology","issn_l":"0950-5849","issn":["0950-5849","1873-6025"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310320990","host_organization_name":"Elsevier BV","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310320990"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Elsevier BV"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by-nc-nd","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-nc-nd","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"Information and Software Technology","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320334593","display_name":"Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada","ror":"https://ror.org/01h531d29"}],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":43,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W1975675278","https://openalex.org/W2050496630","https://openalex.org/W2116531504","https://openalex.org/W2118022153","https://openalex.org/W2125847307","https://openalex.org/W2135198476","https://openalex.org/W2148143831","https://openalex.org/W2151996389","https://openalex.org/W2158585626","https://openalex.org/W2168130919","https://openalex.org/W2282821441","https://openalex.org/W2715209044","https://openalex.org/W2788403449","https://openalex.org/W2795530988","https://openalex.org/W2809021616","https://openalex.org/W2891503716","https://openalex.org/W2949676527","https://openalex.org/W2962772482","https://openalex.org/W2963292722","https://openalex.org/W2963520355","https://openalex.org/W2964060211","https://openalex.org/W2981731882","https://openalex.org/W3005086430","https://openalex.org/W3013745307","https://openalex.org/W3116286104","https://openalex.org/W3134402497","https://openalex.org/W3136428280","https://openalex.org/W3138819813","https://openalex.org/W3164640227","https://openalex.org/W3194668998","https://openalex.org/W4212978291","https://openalex.org/W4289097366","https://openalex.org/W4289861079","https://openalex.org/W4306407754","https://openalex.org/W4379932936","https://openalex.org/W4381748159","https://openalex.org/W4391929666","https://openalex.org/W4400525853","https://openalex.org/W4400641453","https://openalex.org/W4406975981","https://openalex.org/W4409634560","https://openalex.org/W4413059859","https://openalex.org/W4413621567"],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Context:":[0],"Machine":[1],"learning":[2],"(ML)":[3],"models":[4,21],"are":[5,48],"increasingly":[6],"used":[7,85],"in":[8,76,90,122,207,224,254,300],"Software":[9],"Defect":[10],"Prediction":[11],"(SDP)":[12],"to":[13,32,51,165,291],"identify":[14],"defect-prone":[15],"software":[16,255,301],"modules.":[17],"However,":[18],"many":[19],"ML":[20],"operate":[22],"as":[23,43],"black":[24],"boxes,":[25],"making":[26],"their":[27,273],"predictions":[28],"difficult":[29],"for":[30,62,96,262,281],"developers":[31],"interpret":[33],"and":[34,46,59,81,93,100,139,152,157,169,183,194,214,250,268,287,295],"trust.":[35],"Although":[36],"Explainable":[37],"Artificial":[38],"Intelligence":[39],"(XAI)":[40],"techniques":[41,75,261],"such":[42],"LIME,":[44,134],"SHAP,":[45,135],"BreakDown":[47],"widely":[49],"adopted":[50],"improve":[52,292],"transparency,":[53],"different":[54,228],"explainers":[55,206],"often":[56],"produce":[57],"inconsistent":[58],"conflicting":[60],"explanations":[61],"the":[63,71,79,279,293],"same":[64],"prediction":[65,155],"outcomes.":[66],"Objective:":[67],"This":[68],"study":[69,107,239],"investigates":[70],"use":[72],"of":[73,83,109,117,129,145,209,297],"XAI":[74,121,260,298],"SDP,":[77],"evaluates":[78],"consistency":[80,173,226],"reliability":[82,267],"commonly":[84],"explainers,":[86],"examines":[87],"practitioners\u2019":[88],"challenges":[89,270],"interpreting":[91],"explanations,":[92,249],"explores":[94],"strategies":[95],"improving":[97],"explanation":[98,146,225,284],"trustworthiness":[99,294],"usability.":[101],"Method:":[102],"We":[103],"conducted":[104],"a":[105,113,125,142,159],"mixed-methods":[106],"consisting":[108],"four":[110],"phases:":[111],"(1)":[112],"systematic":[114],"literature":[115],"review":[116],"93":[118],"studies":[119],"on":[120],"SDP;":[123],"(2)":[124],"controlled":[126],"comparative":[127],"evaluation":[128],"multiple":[130],"explainability":[131,289],"techniques,":[132,229],"including":[133,245],"PyExplainer,":[136],"PDP,":[137],"ICE,":[138],"BreakDown;":[140],"(3)":[141],"scenario-based":[143],"analysis":[144,219],"behavior":[147],"using":[148,176,191],"JIRA-based":[149],"defect":[150],"datasets":[151],"Random":[153],"Forest":[154],"models;":[156],"(4)":[158],"practitioner":[160,238],"survey":[161],"involving":[162],"71":[163],"participants":[164],"investigate":[166],"interpretability,":[167],"usability,":[168],"trust-related":[170],"concerns.":[171],"Explanation":[172],"was":[174],"evaluated":[175],"Feature":[177],"Agreement":[178,181,185],"(FA),":[179],"Rank":[180],"(RA),":[182],"Sign":[184],"(SA),":[186],"supported":[187],"by":[188],"statistical":[189],"validation":[190],"Friedman":[192],"ranking":[193],"Kendall":[195],"Tau":[196],"correlation":[197],"analysis.":[198],"Results:":[199],"The":[200,237],"results":[201],"reveal":[202],"substantial":[203],"disagreement":[204],"among":[205],"terms":[208],"feature":[210,212,215],"importance,":[211],"ranking,":[213],"influence":[216],"direction.":[217],"Statistical":[218],"further":[220],"confirms":[221],"significant":[222],"variation":[223],"across":[227],"with":[230],"SHAP":[231],"demonstrating":[232],"comparatively":[233],"stronger":[234],"agreement":[235],"behavior.":[236],"also":[240],"identified":[241],"several":[242],"practical":[243,274],"challenges,":[244],"low":[246],"trust,":[247],"contradictory":[248],"limited":[251],"integration":[252],"support":[253,290],"engineering":[256],"workflows.":[257],"Conclusion:":[258],"Current":[259],"SDP":[263],"still":[264],"face":[265],"important":[266],"interpretability":[269],"that":[271],"limit":[272],"adoption.":[275],"Our":[276],"findings":[277],"highlight":[278],"need":[280],"agreement-aware":[282],"evaluation,":[283],"stability":[285],"analysis,":[286],"developer-centered":[288],"usability":[296],"systems":[299],"engineering.":[302]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-06-25T06:16:34.145877","created_date":"2026-06-19T00:00:00"}
