Tihana Galinac Grbac, Ph.D.

Tihana Galinac Grbac, Ph.D.

Professor of Computer Science

Research Alignment Workshop II

Research Alignment Workshop II @ SOFTCOM 2026

Research Alignment Workshop II Banner

Human-Centered Adoption of Large Language Models
Towards Cross-Domain Evidence, Comparative Studies, and Systematic Adoption Frameworks

Workshop Quick Info
Date: Friday, 18.09.2026, 14:30–16:00
Venue: Split, Croatia
Conference Context: Co-located with SoftCOM 2026
Official SoftCOM 2026 website: https://2026.softcom.fesb.unist.hr/
SoftCOM 2026 dates: 17-19 September 2026
Paper submission system (EDAS): https://edas.info/newPaper.php?c=34571&track=140155

Call for Participation

Research Alignment Workshop II

SoftCOM 2026 Context

The workshop is organized in conjunction with the 34th International Conference on Software, Telecommunications and Computer Networks (SoftCOM 2026).

Background and Motivation

The rapid adoption of Large Language Models (LLMs) has generated an increasing number of case studies across software engineering, healthcare, manufacturing, education, business, and public administration. Although these studies demonstrate significant technical advances, research remains fragmented and often lacks a common analytical structure that would enable comparison across domains, identification of recurring socio-technical patterns, and development of cumulative knowledge.

To address this challenge, the Research Alignment Workshop initiative was launched at the MIPRO 2026 Convention. The initial analytical framework was introduced and discussed during the workshop Human-Centered Adoption of LLMs in Industry and Society: Challenges, Opportunities, and Systemic Implications, organized within the Software and Systems Engineering (SSE) track of the 49th MIPRO Convention, Opatija, Croatia, May 2026.

The framework proposes nine complementary analytical dimensions: Problem, Solution, Human Interaction, Context, Evaluation, Challenges, Benefits, Transferability, and Process, as a common language for reporting and comparing LLM adoption experiences [1].

The MIPRO workshop served as a pilot study, resulting in an initial cross-domain empirical dataset collected through structured participatory discussions and reflection worksheets. The SOFTCOM workshop represents the second stage of this coordinated research initiative, aiming to examine, extend, and refine the proposed analytical framework through additional case studies and community discussion.

Workshop Objectives

  • Present and discuss new cross-domain experiences with LLM adoption.
  • Critically examine and further refine the analytical framework proposed at MIPRO.
  • Identify recurring human-centered and socio-technical adoption patterns.
  • Expand the empirical dataset through additional case studies.
  • Strengthen an international research community around systematic LLM adoption.
  • Discuss the planned JCOMSS special issue and future collaborative publications.

Participation

Researchers and practitioners are welcome to participate either as discussion participants or as presenters. Presentation slides are optional and are not required for participation.

Authors wishing to give a short presentation (approximately 5-10 minutes) are kindly requested to notify the workshop organizers in advance so that the programme can be prepared.

For presentation submission, please use the EDAS system: Submit via EDAS.

Presenters are particularly encouraged to reflect on their case study through the nine analytical questions introduced below, including aspects that may not be addressed in the original study.

Participants are invited to contribute in one or more of the following ways:

  • Present a short case study (optional; advance notification requested).
  • Participate in the moderated discussion.
  • Reflect on their own work using the proposed analytical questions.
  • Discuss whether additional dimensions should be considered.
  • Identify recurring patterns observed across different application domains.
  • Contribute to refining a common analytical structure for reporting human-centered LLM adoption.

Framework-Based Discussion

The workshop discussion will use the analytical framework introduced at MIPRO [1] as a common reference point. Participants are encouraged to reflect on their work through the following analytical questions:

  • A. Problem: What problem is being solved?
  • B. Solution: How is it solved?
  • C. Human Interaction: How do humans engage?
  • D. Context: Under what conditions?
  • E. Evaluation: What is the effect?
  • F. Challenges: What limits it?
  • G. Benefits: What value is created?
  • H. Transferability: What generalizes?
  • I. Process: How can successful adoption be reproduced?

Participants are also encouraged to consider whether these questions sufficiently capture their adoption experience and whether additional dimensions should be considered.

Publication Opportunities

The workshop forms part of a broader coordinated research programme. Following the workshop, authors will be invited to submit substantially extended versions of their work to a planned special issue of the Journal of Communications Software and Systems (JCOMSS). The special issue will welcome both extended conference papers and independent case studies that contribute to the comparative study of human-centered LLM adoption using the proposed analytical framework.

Scientific Organizers

Tihana Galinac Grbac
Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Croatia
Workshop Chair and Research Initiative Lead

Darko Huljenic
University of Zagreb, Croatia
Co-Chair and Framework Co-Developer

Dinko Begusic
University of Split, Croatia
SOFTCOM Workshop Co-Chair

Ana Milanova
Department of Computer Science, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, USA
Invited international collaborator

Dražen Brščić
Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Invited international collaborator

The workshop initiative originates from the EQUISYS research project at Juraj Dobrila University of Pula and is being developed in collaboration with an international network of researchers.

References

[1] T. Galinac Grbac and D. Huljenic, “Human-Centered Adoption of LLMs in Industry and Society: Challenges, Opportunities, and Systemic Implications,” 2026 49th MIPRO ICT and Electronics Convention (MIPRO), Opatija, Croatia, 2026, pp. 2096-2100.