Petra M. Bosch-Sijtsema

From integration to composition: On the impact of software product lines, global development and ecosystems

Three trends accelerate the increase in complexity of large-scale software development, i.e. software product lines, global development and software ecosystems. For the case study companies we studied, these trends caused several problems, which are organized around architecture, process and organization, and the problems are related to the efficiency and effectiveness of software development as these companies used too integration-centric approaches. We present five approaches to software development, organized from integration-centric to composition-oriented and describe the areas of applicability.

Knowledge work productivity in distributed teams

Purpose – Knowledge work (KW) is a well-researched topic. However, KW is difficult to measure and little consensus has been reached on elements that affect knowledge work productivity on a team level. The current theories neglect teams working in distributed geographical areas. The purpose of the paper is to integrate recent literature on knowledge work productivity (KWP) in distributed teams and give an overview of the elements affecting it. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents an overview of research performed in the field of knowledge work productivity. The authors integrate theories of different fields of management theory (knowledge management, intellectual capital and learning), and work and organizational psychology. This paper answers three questions: What is knowledge work? What is knowledge work productivity? Which elements hinder or enable knowledge work productivity in distributed teams of global technology companies? Findings – The authors define the crucial elements that either hinder or enable KWP: team tasks, team structure and processes, the physical, virtual and social workspaces as well as organizational context. The paper presents an integrative model of KWP in distributed teams of global technology companies. Practical implications – Distributed teams are common in global companies. By understanding the elements that affect KWP, companies can stimulate or decrease specific elements in order to improve productivity of their distributed knowledge workers. Originality/value – This paper integrates theories from different disciplines in order to create an understanding about knowledge work and its productivity for further research.

The Impact of Individual Expectations and Expectation Conflicts on Virtual Teams

Virtual teams are characterized by geographical dispersion, organizational, and cultural heterogeneity, and their members have little history and lateral and weak relationships. Literature denotes the importance of expectations in virtual settings, but individual expectations of virtual team members are hardly investigated. In this article, the author discusses the presence of different kinds of expectations and the impact of mismatches of individual expectations within virtual teams. Psychological contract literature states that expectation mismatches result in negative outcomes, whereas learning literature posits that mismatches enhance learning. These concepts addressing mismatches of expectations are discussed as a theoretical paradox.

A Framework to Analyze Knowledge Work in Distributed Teams

This article presents a framework to analyze knowledge work in the changing context of new ways of working. Knowledge work increasingly takes place as collaboration from different and changing workplaces due to mobility, multilocational, and geographical distribution of participants. We define the framework based on five key factors that pose challenges to the performance and productivity of knowledge work performed in distributed teams. The framework extends and integrates traditional performance models of task, team structure, and work process, with context factors like workplace, organization policy, and information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure. The framework is applied in a qualitative comparative cross-case analysis to eight globally distributed teams in two Fortune 100 high-tech companies. We conclude with a series of specific challenges for each factor when studying distributed knowledge work. It is shown that due to changing contexts knowledge workers, teams, and organizations need to constantly adapt, readjust, and realign according to the five factors.

Interactive navigation interface for Virtual Reality using the human body

The use of Virtual Reality (VR) and interactive real-time rendering in urban planning and building design is becoming more and more common. However, the integration of desktop-VR in the urban planning process suffers from complicated navigation interfaces. In particular, people unfamiliar to gaming environments and computers are less prone to interact with a VR visualization using keyboard and mouse as controlling devices. This paper addresses this issue by presenting an implementation of the XBOX 360 Kinect sensor system, which uses the human body to interact with the virtual environment. This type of interaction interface enables a more natural and user-friendly way of interacting with the virtual environment. The validation of the system was conducted with 60 participants using quantitative and qualitative methods. The result showed that participants perceived the interface as non-demanding and easy to use and the interface was perceived better in relation to mouse/keyboard interaction. The implemented interface supported users to switch between different architecture proposals of an urban plan and the switching positively affected learning, understanding and spatial reasoning of the participants. The study also shows that females perceived the system as less demanding than males. Furthermore, the users associated and related their body (human interaction interface) to VR, which could indicate that they used their body during spatial reasoning. This type of spatial reasoning has been argued to enhance the spatial-perception.

Governance factors enabling knowledge transfer in interorganisational development projects

In this study we examine governance factors affecting knowledge transfer in interorganisational development projects. There is a gap in the literature indicating a need for more insights into processes of knowledge sharing and governance of interorganisational development projects. By using cases from the Dutch construction industry, we discus how interorganisational development projects are governed and what impact this has on knowledge transfer between the firms involved. We find that knowledge transfer towards participating firms cooperating in an interorganisational development project is positively influenced when partners govern their cooperation by using mutual trust and contract complementary.

Softwares Product Lines, Global Development and Ecosystems: Collaboration in Software Engineering

Effective collaboration in software engineering is very important and yet increasingly complicated by trends that increase complexity of dependencies between software development teams and organizations. These trends include the increasing adoption of software product lines, the globalization of software engineering and the increasing use of and reliance on 3rd party developers in the context of software ecosystems. Based on action research, the paper discusses problems of in effective collaboration and success-factors of five approaches to collaboration in large-scale software engineering.

Introducing agile customer-centered development in a legacy software product line

The ability to rapidly respond to customer interest and to effectively prioritize development effort has been a long‐standing challenge for mass‐market software intensive products. This problem is exacerbated in the context of software product lines as functionality may easily fall over software asset and organizational boundaries with consequent losses in efficiency and nimbleness. Some companies facing these problems in their product line respond with a new development process. In this paper we discuss the developments within a single case study, Intuits Quickbooks product line that combined agile software development, design thinking and self‐organizing teams in a successful approach, which provided a significant improvement in terms of responsiveness and accuracy of building customer value. Copyright

Multi-Locational Knowledge Workers in the Office: Navigation, Disturbances and Effectiveness

Drop-in desks are increasingly common as companies have more mobile employees. However, what happens to mobile workers once they come to the office? In our research, we found that mobile workers perceived lower productivity, had difficulty in navigating in the office and suffered from distractions, lack of storage and identification.

Professional Virtual Worlds Supporting Computer-Mediated Communication, Collaboration, and Learning in Geographically Distributed Contexts

Research problem: Although much research exists on virtual worlds, very few studies focus on professional virtual worlds used for working in a global setting. Research questions: (1) How do global managers currently use and experience professional virtual worlds (Virtual Worlds) as a communication media for global work? and (2) How do these Virtual Worlds support global and professional communication in a geographically distributed context? Literature review: We reviewed Virtual World literature in the area of social sciences, education, and games. Little research has been conducted on Virtual Worlds for workgroups. But those studies support the assumption that Virtual Worlds are suitable for global distributed work as a collaboration and communication medium. Methodology: With an explorative and qualitative interview research approach, we conducted 47 semi-structured interviews with virtual world vendors, researchers, and managers using virtual worlds in their work. Data were analyzed based on Grounded Theory Analysis methods. Results and conclusions: The results show four different use cases applied for professional Virtual Worlds: small team meetings, trainings, community building, and conferences. Furthermore, our findings confirm Virtual World literature that states that the professional Virtual World as a communication and collaboration tool supports geographically distributed work as well as visualization and learning in a global context.