Publication Type

Conference Proceeding Article

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

5-2011

Abstract

In this paper, we examined the impact of project-level configurational choices of globally distributed software teams on project productivity, quality, and profits. Our analysis used data from 362 projects of four different firms. These projects spanned a wide range of programming languages, application domain, process choices, and development sites spread over 15 countries and 5 continents. Our analysis revealed fundamental tradeoffs in choosing configurational choices that are optimized for productivity, quality, and/or profits. In particular, achieving higher levels of productivity and quality require diametrically opposed configurational choices. In addition, creating imbalances in the expertise and personnel distribution of project teams significantly helps increase profit margins. However, a profitoriented imbalance could also significantly affect productivity and/or quality outcomes. Analyzing these complex tradeoffs, we provide actionable managerial insights that can help software firms and their clients choose configurations that achieve desired project outcomes in globally distributed software development.

Keywords

empirical analysis, globally distributed software development, quality management, software engineering economics

Discipline

Software Engineering

Research Areas

Software and Cyber-Physical Systems

Publication

ICSE 2011: Proceedings of the International Conference on Software Engineering: May 21-28, Waikkiki, Honolulu

First Page

261

Last Page

270

ISBN

9781450304450

Identifier

10.1145/1985793.1985830

Publisher

ACM

City or Country

New York

Copyright Owner and License

Publisher

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1145/1985793.1985830

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