Pär J. Ågerfalk

Global Software Development Challenges: A Case Study on Temporal, Geographical and Socio-Cultural Distance

Global software development (GSD) is a phenomenon that is receiving considerable interest from companies all over the world. In GSD, stakeholders from different national and organizational cultures are involved in developing software and the many benefits include access to a large labour pool, cost advantage and round-the-clock development. However, GSD is technologically and organizationally complex and presents a variety of challenges to be managed by the software development team. In particular, temporal, geographical and socio-cultural distances impose problems not experienced in traditional systems development. In this paper, we present findings from a case study in which we explore the particular challenges associated with managing GSD. Our study also reveals some of the solutions that are used to deal with these challenges. We do so by empirical investigation at three US based GSD companies operating in Ireland. Based on qualitative interviews we present challenges related to temporal, geographical and socio-cultural distance

Agile Practices Reduce Distance in Global Software Development

Abstract This article explores how agile practices can reduce three kinds of “distance” – temporal, geographical, and sociocultural – in global software development (GSD). On the basis of two in-depth case studies, specific Scrum and eXtreme Programming (XP) practices are found to be useful for reducing communication, coordination, and control problems that have been associated with GSD.

Method configuration: adapting to situational characteristics while creating reusable assets

The world of systems engineering methods is changing as rigorous ‘off-the-shelf’ methods gain popularity. The need for configuration of such methods is increasing accordingly. In this paper, method configuration is treated as a kind of method engineering, focusing on adaptation of a base method. A meta-method based on the concepts of Configuration Packages and Configuration Templates is proposed. Configuration Packages are pre-made reusable configurations of a base method suitable for a specific characteristic of a development situation. Configuration Templates with different characteristics can be related to different Configuration Packages and used as a base for reaching a situational method efficiently. The paper presents experiences from two empirical studies in which the Method for Method Configuration was developed and validated. These studies indicate that this meta-method eases the burden of the method engineer in configuring a method for particular project characteristics. Specifically it helped in deciding what in the base method to omit and to make sure that omissions made were congruent with the overall situational method.

Two-Stage offshoring: an investigation of the irish bridge

This paper investigates two-stage offshoring as experienced by the Irish sites of two large global companies, headquartered in the United States, with significant software development operations. As part of these companies, the Irish sites act as a bridge in their offshoring arrangements: While the U.S. sites offshore work to Ireland, the Irish sites offshore work further to India and, hence, have experience of being both customer and vendor in two-stage offshore sourcing relationships. Using a framework derived from relational exchange theory (RET), we conducted multiple case study research to investigate and develop an initial theoretical model of the implementation of this two-stage offshoring bridge model. Our study shows that while both companies act as bridges in two-stage offshoring arrangements, their approaches differ in relation to (1) team integration, (2) organizational level implementation, and (3) site hierarchy. Although, there are opportunities afforded by the bridge model at present, the extent to which these opportunities will be viable into the future is open to question. As revealed in our study, temporal location seems to favor a bridge location such as Ireland, certainly with United States-Asian partners. However, location alone will not be enough to maintain position in future two-stage offshoring arrangements. Furthermore, our research supports the view that offshoring tends to progress through a staged sequence of progressively lower cost destinations. Such a development suggests that two-stage offshoring, as described in this paper, will eventually become what we would term multistage offshoring.

Actability: a Way to Understand Information Systems Pragmatics

The many failures of IT-based information systems give rise to a strong imperative for researchers in information systems and neighbour disciplines to create a better understanding of the nature of such systems and their organizational use. Just viewing an information system (IS) as a technical black box having some social and organizational effects is not enough. We must understand information systems in a deeper sense than just as one kind of technical artefact. What special kind of artefact is an information system?

Introduction to the Special Issue---Flexible and Distributed Information Systems Development: State of the Art and Research Challenges

Process flexibility and globally distributed develop-ment are two major current trends in software andinformation systems development (ISD). The questfor flexibility is very much evident in the recent devel-opment and increasing acceptance of various agilemethods, such as eXtreme Programming (Beck andAndres 2005) and Scrum (Schwaber and Beedle 2002).Agile development methods are examples of appar-ently major success stories that seem to have runcounter to the prevailing wisdom in information sys-tems (IS) and software engineering. However, ratherthan being antimethod, agile approaches operate onthe principle of “just enough method.” The quest forflexibility is also apparent in the currently increasinginterest in striking a balance between the rigor of tra-ditional approaches and the need for adaptation ofthose approaches to suit particular development situ-ations. Although suitable methods may exist, devel-opers struggle in practice when selecting methodsand tailoring them to suit their needs. Certainly,agile methods are not exempt from this problem asthey too need to be flexibly tailored to the devel-opment context at hand (Fitzgerald et al. 2006a).Distributed development recognizes that, more andmore, ISD takes place in globally distributed settings.This is perhaps most evident in the many cases ofoffshoring and outsourcing of software developmentto low-cost countries (King and Torkzadeh 2008). Dis-tributed development places new demands on thedevelopment process through the increased complex-ity related to communication, coordination, cooper-ation, control, and culture, as well as to technologyand tools. Interestingly, many of the difficulties facedin globally distributed ISD are the same issues sur-faced by agile methods and development flexibility ingeneral.It is something of an irony that the special issuebefore us appears on the bicentenary of Darwin’sbirth. Evolutionary theory suggests that success andsurvival are not the preserve of the strongest nor themost intelligent. Rather, the ability to adapt to chang-ing circumstances is the key trait. Flexibility, one ofthe twin primary points of focus for this special issue,addresses this trait directly. A further parallel is thatDarwin’s theory of evolution was best exemplified bydifferences across different spatial locations. This isalso inherent in the second focal point for the specialissue dual focus—distributed development.

Action-oriented conceptual modelling

The aim of this paper is to show how speech act theory can be used in systems development as a theoretical foundation for conceptual modelling. With the traditional notion of the conceptual model as an image of reality, the predominant modelling problem is to analyse how the external reality should be mapped into, and represented in, the system in a ‘true’ way. In contrast to this, we maintain that the main modelling problem should be to analyse the communication acts performed by use of the system within its business context. This implies an integration of traditional conceptual modelling with action-oriented business modelling based on speech act theory. With such an approach, it is possible to reconcile traditional conceptual modelling and the pragmatic aspects of language and computer use. It is argued that such reconciliation is essential to arrive at systems that provide relevant information to users and in which users can trace responsibilities for information, actions and commitments made.

A reference model for successful Distributed Development of Software Systems

Distributed development (DD) of software systems is an issue of increasing significance for organisations today, all the more so given the current trend towards globalisation. In this paper we present a reference model which can be used as a reference point for any company wishing to review their own DD scenario. This is particularised in two forms, one as an exemplar model for a global (GSD) development scenario and one as a particularisation of this for intra-national DD scenarios. By drawing from eight case-studies on DD, we present ten general strategies for successful DD together with our reference model which characterises an ideal DD situation.

Investigating actability dimensions: a language/action perspective on criteria for information systems evaluation

Abstract From a language/action perspective (LAP), information systems are conceived as tools for social action and communication. To date, LAP-based approaches have tended towards the abstract, focusing primarily on business modelling and different business interaction patterns. In this paper, nine dimensions of information systems from a LAP point of view are developed. The dimensions are founded on the notion that information systems used within a business context have the ability to act and to support human action—they possess actability. The dimensions bring concrete design suggestions to systems development and evaluation by emphasizing aspects such as anonymization of information origin, appropriate visual presentation based on required action support, and the design of systems in relation to communication patterns and business responsibilities. Examples from a case study are discussed to show the applicability of the actability dimensions. The relationship between the suggested actability dimensions and commonly referred principles for assessing usability is elaborated.

Exploring agile values in method configuration

The Method for Method Configuration (MMC) has been proposed as a method engineering approach to tailoring information systems development methods. This meta-method has been used on a variety of methods, but none of these studies have focused on the ability to manage method tailoring with the intention to promote specific values and goals, such as agile ones. This paper explores how MMC has been used during three software development projects to manage method tailoring with the intention to promote agile goals and values. Through content examples of method configurations we have shown that it is possible to use MMC and its conceptual framework on eXtreme Programming and we report on lessons learned with regard to maintaining coherency with the overall goals of the original method.