https://journals-sol.sbc.org.br/index.php/jserd <p>The aim of the Journal of Software Engineering and Research Development (JSERD), a fully open access journal, is to inform the readers about state of the art of software engineering by publishing high quality papers that represent results of consolidated research and innovations in software engineering and related areas. Follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/jserd_official">Twitter</a> to get our updates!</p> Brazilian Computing Society (SBC) en-US Journal of Software Engineering Research and Development 2195-1721 https://journals-sol.sbc.org.br/index.php/jserd/article/view/5462 <p>This study explores the state of the art of Technical Debt (TD) in software startups, seeking to understand the approaches, methods, and techniques used to manage this issue. TD is a concept that refers to suboptimal technical decisions made to accelerate development, such as implementing code or design that later requires revision to avoid future problems. In startups, where speed and innovation are essential for growth, the pressure to quickly release products often leads to the accumulation of TD. Although this offers short-term benefits, such as faster feature releases, in the long term, it can compromise product quality, increase maintenance costs, and reduce the ability to scale the business. We conducted the study through a systematic literature mapping and analyzed articles from the Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library databases. The authors selected fourteen studies published between 2017 and 2024. The analysis revealed that practitioners and researchers still lack standardized practices and tools for efficiently managing TD. Furthermore, the research highlights the need for more empirical studies that consider the specific context of startups, where limited resources and the need for accelerated innovation create unique challenges for TD management. The mapping carried out highlights the fragmentation of current approaches and the lack of a unified framework for managing TD in startups. The authors therefore conclude that there is a need to develop and empirically validate strategic models that integrate technical, human, and business aspects to prove more effective solutions for this specific context.</p> Déverson Rogério Rando Gislaine Camila Lapasini Leal Guilherme Corredato Guerino Renato Balancieri Copyright (c) 2026 Déverson Rogério Rando, Gislaine Camila Lapasini Leal, Guilherme Corredato Guerino, Renato Balancieri http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2026-03-31 2026-03-31 14 1 25 43 10.5753/jserd.2026.5462 https://journals-sol.sbc.org.br/index.php/jserd/article/view/5887 <p>Accessibility is essential for inclusive digital experiences, yet it is often overlooked in early stages of software development. This paper presents two empirical studies focused on improving how accessibility requirements are specified. In the first study, undergraduate Software Engineering students explored accessibility principles through guided activities and questionnaires. The second study evaluated a structured method combining Personas, User Stories, Behavior-Driven Development (BDD), and WCAG guidelines. Participants applied the method to specify accessibility features in real scenarios. The findings show that although initial knowledge was limited, structured interventions led to more precise, WCAG-aligned, and testable requirements. These results highlight the value of embedding accessibility into software engineering education and demonstrate the effectiveness of combining user-centered design with formal specification techniques.</p> Renata Vinadé Natalya Goelzer Sabrina Marczak Copyright (c) 2026 Renata Vinadé, Natalya Goelzer, Sabrina Marczak http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2026-03-31 2026-03-31 14 1 01 24 10.5753/jserd.2026.5887