Beyond Agile: Studying The Participatory Process in Software Development

Abstract: We see that the collaborative and participatory nature of software development continues to evolve, shape and be shaped by communication channels that are used by developer communities of practice--both by traditional communication channels (e.g., telephone, in-person interactions), as well as social features that may be standalone or integrated with other development tools (e.g., email, chat, and forums). Within a community of practice, software is a combination of the externalized knowledge (e.g., code, documentation, history of activities) as well as the tacit knowledge that resides in the community members' heads (e.g., experience of when to use an API, or design constraints that are not written down). Communication channels and development tools support developers in forming and sharing both externalized and tacit knowledge in a highly collaborative manner. However, not much is known about the impact this participatory culture is having on software development practices nor on the knowledge-building processes. The research community has been studying the tools and communication channels used by developers in an effort to broaden our understanding. But, studying only the tools and channels can only provide a narrow perspective. We believe that software development has evolved beyond the agile process, into a Participatory Process--A knowledge building process which is characterized by the (1) knowledge activities and actions, (2) stakeholder roles, and (3) is enabled by socially enhanced tools and communication channels. Thus, it is important to gain an understanding of each one of the components, and the way these components interact and shape each other.