Dimensions of Consistency in GSD: Social Factors, Structures and Interactions

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A4 Artikkeli konferenssijulkaisussa

Date

2020-11-21

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en

Pages

16

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Product-Focused Software Process Improvement - 21st International Conference, PROFES 2020, Proceedings, pp. 315-330, Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics) ; Volume 12562

Abstract

Global software development (GSD) implies a distributed development organization, where coordination is needed to efficiently achieve development objectives. So far, socio-technical congruence has examined coordination needs and activities through software code dependencies. However, GSD requires coordination beyond software artifacts. In this paper, we present an interview-based study of software practitioners from companies engaged in GSD. The study examines how different dimensions of interactions are interrelated, and how they affect software development. Our study suggests that, in addition to the relationship between organizational and technical system structure, GSD performance is affected by consistency in communication, operational procedures, and social structures. These can only partially be impacted through formal procedures, and we suggest that distributing coordination work by empowering developers could lead to increased performance.

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Keywords

Global software development, Human factors, Socio-technical system, Coordination, Communication

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Citation

Sievi-Korte, O, Fagerholm, F, Systä, K & Mikkonen, T 2020, Dimensions of Consistency in GSD: Social Factors, Structures and Interactions . in M Morisio, M Torchiano & A Jedlitschka (eds), Product-Focused Software Process Improvement - 21st International Conference, PROFES 2020, Proceedings . Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), vol. 12562, Springer, pp. 315-330, International Conference on Product-Focused Software Process Improvement, Turin, Italy, 26/11/2020 . https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64148-1_20