The Social, Organizational and Disciplinary Aspects of Quality in Free and Open Source Software Communities

Adam Alami

    Publikation: Bog / Antologi / Rapport / Ph.D.-afhandlingPh.d.-afhandling

    Abstract

    Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) is an innovation model that does
    not rely on price or formal hierarchies nor alliance agreements. It may be
    described by the term “collective invention.” A review of history reveals a
    number of examples of private-collective inventions, but most of these has
    not survive past the development of a dominant design, but FOSS has.
    In FOSS, commitment to a community occurs because of the sense of
    autonomy contributors have, feelings of competence that grow as a result
    of successful contributions, and social relatedness. The FOSS production
    is a highly successful innovation model, and it survives the emergence of a
    dominant design, demonstrating it as a new innovation model. Collective
    invention in FOSS survives because of motivational aspects of contributors.
    Although FOSS has the unique characteristics of being an information
    product, a user innovation, and the result of a highly modular design, these
    factors do not fully explain why FOSS produces high quality products. It
    is understood that quality assurance techniques, methods and tools are
    deployed in FOSS development process to control quality. However, these
    practices are not the only source of quality. For example, additional factors
    that may explain this phenomenon are conditions that foster pro-social
    intrinsic motivation. This dissertation asks how do social, organizational
    and disciplinary factors contribute to maintaining software quality in FOSS
    Communities?
    I show that quality in FOSS communities is achieved when the environment
    facilitates some social, organizational and disciplinary enablers and desired
    features. I identified three enablers and two desired features. Enablers are
    qualities or capabilities that contribute to quality in FOSS. Desired features
    are intended capabilities, when achieved they created a desired effect which is
    maintaining quality. The enablers are (1) personal motivation for quality, (2) governance for quality and (3) the ability to improve. The desired features
    are (1) active commercial participation and (2) retention of participants to
    sustain quality.
    This is a mixed methods study. Mixed methods research is a methodology
    for conducting research that involves collecting, analysing and integrating
    quantitative (e.g., surveys) and qualitative (e.g., field observations, interviews)
    research. I conducted 82 interviews with FOSS contributors and maintainers.
    I carried out a Participatory Action Research project in the he Robot Operating
    System (ROS) community. I also conducted a survey with participants
    (N=387) from 15 FOSS communities.
    Software quality is a difficult attribute to achieve. Software is produced with
    bugs for more than 60 years now. New solutions to prevent bugs continue to be
    developed in both research and commercial contexts. However, these solutions
    tend to focus on the technical aspects of software development, while, software
    development processes continue to produce bugs. This is, perhaps, caused
    by neglecting of other aspects of software development processes (i.e. social,
    organizational and disciplinary). It is time to broden the research attention
    to the non-technical aspects of quality. This dissertation demonstrates that
    quality has social, organizational and disciplinary dimensions that should be
    acknowledged, nurtured and studied further.
    Software quality is achieved by technical and non-technical instruments.
    This implies that managing and implementing software quality necessitate also
    managing and nurturing non-technical mechanisms. For example, passion
    for developing software should be acknowledged, nurtured and rewarded.
    Another example, software development projects should embrace quality and
    pitch it as a fundamental believe rather than just merely a checklist.
    Keywords: Software Quality, Free and Open Source Software, FOSS Communities,
    FOSS Quality.
    OriginalsprogEngelsk
    ForlagIT-Universitetet i København
    Antal sider241
    ISBN (Trykt)978-87-7949-039-0
    StatusUdgivet - 2020

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