Design thinking and creativity of colocated versus globally distributed software developers

RWTH Publications (RWTH Aachen)

Abstract

Abstract Designing software is an activity in which software developers think and make design decisions that shape the structure and behavior of software products. Designing software is one of the least understood software engineering activities. In a collaborative design setting, various types of distances can lead to challenges and effects that potentially affect how software is designed. To contribute to a better understanding of collaborative software design, we investigate how communication gaps caused by social and geographic distances affect its design thinking and the creativity of its discussions. To this end, we conducted a multiple‐case study exploring the design thinking and creativity of colocated and distributed software developers in a collaborative design setting. Compared with colocated developers, distributed developers spend less time on exploring the problem space, which could be related to different sociotechnical challenges, such as lack of awareness and common understanding. Distributed development does not seem to affect the creativity of their activities. Developers engaging in collaborative design need to be aware that problem space exploration is reduced in a distributed setting. Unless distributed teams take compensatory measures, this could adversely affect the development. Regarding the effect distance has on creativity, our results are inconclusive and further studies are needed.

Authors 5

1. Rodi Jolak corresponding

   Chalmers University of Technology · University of Gothenburg

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Chalmers | Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden

2. Andreas Wortmann Aachen Department of Computer Science

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Computer Science, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

3. Grischa Liebel

   Reykjavík University

   Affiliation as printed

   School of Technology, Reykjavik University, Reykjavik, Iceland

4. Eric Umuhoza

   Carnegie Mellon University Africa · Carnegie Mellon University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University Africa, Kigali, Rwanda

5. Michel R. V. Chaudron

   Eindhoven University of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, Netherlands