Kelly Blincoe

Kelly co-authored research that examines the human consequences of code review, a central software quality practice. Drawing on a survey of 93 practitioners, the work gives engineering teams evidence to inform feedback practices and distinguish constructive criticism from destructive behaviour. Its attention to inclusion helps teams consider whether review practices support continued collaboration and participation.

Kelly Blincoe is an Associate Professor at the University of Auckland, working in the Human Aspects of Software Engineering Lab. A Rutherford Discovery Fellow, Kelly leads the ENGclusion research programme, investigating the human and social dimensions of software engineering. Areas of focus include how developers collaborate, coordinate work, and understand user needs, alongside broader studies into developer diversity and inclusion.

In 2022, Kelly co-authored the paper ‘Destructive Criticism in Software Code Review Impacts Inclusion’, surveying 93 software practitioners about constructive and destructive criticism and analysing responses to hypothetical feedback scenarios. More than half of respondents reported receiving nonspecific negative feedback in the previous year, and women reported less motivation to continue working with a developer after receiving destructive criticism. The findings give engineering teams empirical evidence to evaluate how review feedback shapes collaboration and participation alongside code quality.