@proceedings {, title = {Depicting What Really Matters: Using Episodes to Study Latent Phenomenon}, year = {2008}, abstract = {Research on processes and practices around information systems is often best conducted in naturalistic setting. To conduct valid and reliable research in such settings, researchers must find ways to reliably bound the phenomenon in which they are interested. In this paper we propose that researchers use episodes{\textemdash}events or processes occurring over a specified period of time{\textemdash}to isolate that which interests them from the vast set of related human behavior. The paper discusses the nature of episodes in the literature and suggests particular research settings in which episodes can be useful. The paper describes a three stage methodology to identify episodes for systematic data collection and analysis. The paper presents an example study using episodes to study group learning process in distributed groups.}, keywords = {Learning, Process}, attachments = {https://crowston.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/Depicting\%20What\%20Really\%20Matters\%20Using\%20Episodes\%20to\%20Study\%20Latent\%20Phe.pdf}, author = {Annabi, Hala and Kevin Crowston and Heckman, Robert} } @proceedings {Annabi:2006, title = {From Individual Contribution to Group learning: the Early Years of Apache Web Server}, year = {2006}, pages = {77{\textendash}90}, address = {Lake Como, Italy, 8{\textendash}9 June}, abstract = {Open Source Software (OSS) groups experience many benefits and challenges with respect to the core group{\textquoteright}s effectiveness. In order to capitalize on the benefits and minimize the challenges, OSS groups must learn not only on the individual level, but also on the group level. OSS groups learn by integrating individual contributions into the group{\textquoteright}s product and processes. This paper reports on the characteristics of the learning process in OSS groups. The study utilized an embedded single case study design that observed and analyzed group learning processes in the Apache Web server OSS project. The study used learning opportunity episodes (LOE) as the embedded unit of analysis and developed and utilized three content analytic schemes to describe the characteristics of the learning process and the factors affecting this process.}, keywords = {FLOSS, Learning}, attachments = {https://crowston.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/FromIndividualContributionToGroup.pdf}, author = {Annabi, Hala and Kevin Crowston and Heckman, Robert} } @article {Crowston:2006, title = {Information systems success in Free and Open Source Software development: Theory and measures}, journal = {Software Process{\textendash}Improvement and Practice}, volume = {11}, number = {2}, year = {2006}, pages = {123{\textendash}148}, abstract = {Information systems success is one of the most widely used dependent variables in information systems (IS) research, but research on Free/Libre and Open Source software (FLOSS) often fails to appropriately conceptualize this important concept. In this paper, we reconsider what success means within a FLOSS context. We first review existing models of IS success and success variables used in FLOSS research and assess them for their usefulness, practicality and fit to the FLOSS context. Then, drawing on a theoretical model of group effectiveness in the FLOSS development process, as well as an online discussion group with developers, we present additional concepts that are central to an appropriate understanding of success for FLOSS. In order to examine the practicality and validity of this conceptual scheme, the second half of our paper presents an empirical study that demonstrates its operationalization of the chosen measures and assesses their internal validity. We use data from SourceForge to measure the project{\textquoteright}s effectiveness in team building, the speed of the project at responding to bug reports and the project{\textquoteright}s popularity. We conclude by discussing the implications of this study for our proposed extension of IS success in the context of FLOSS development and highlight future directions for research.}, keywords = {FLOSS, Success}, doi = {10.1002/spip.259}, attachments = {https://crowston.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/InformationSystemsSuccessInFree.pdf}, author = {Kevin Crowston and James Howison and Annabi, Hala} } @proceedings {Crowston:2005e, title = {Effective work practices for FLOSS development: A model and propositions}, year = {2005}, note = {"Effective work practices for Software Engineering: Free/Libre Open Source Software Development". Presentation at the Workshop on Interdisciplinary Software Engineering 2004, SIGSOFT 2004/FSE-12 Conference, Newport Beach, CA, 5 November. Powerpoint file.}, address = {Big Island, Hawai{\textquoteright}i, January}, abstract = {We review the literature on Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) development and on software development, distributed work and teams more generally to develop a theoretical model to explain the performance of FLOSS teams. The proposed model is based on Hackman{\textquoteright}s [1] model of effectiveness of work teams, with coordination theory [2] and collective mind [3] to extend Hackman{\textquoteright}s model by elaborating team practices relevant to effectiveness in software development. We propose a set of propositions to guide further research.}, doi = {10.1109/HICSS.2005.222}, attachments = {https://crowston.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/22680197a.pdf , https://crowston.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/041101\%20Wiser\%20Presentation.pdf}, author = {Kevin Crowston and Annabi, Hala and James Howison and Masango, Chengetai} } @proceedings {Crowston:2005a, title = {A structurational perspective on leadership in Free/Libre Open Source Software teams}, year = {2005}, address = {Genova, Italy}, abstract = {In this conceptual paper, we present a structuration-based theory of leadership behaviours in self-organizing virtual distributed teams such as Free/Libre Open Source Software development teams. Such teams are often composed of members of relatively equal status or who are so disparate in background that formal organizational status seems irrelevant, reducing the usual leadership cues provided by organizational status and title. Building on a functional view of leadership and structuration theory, we suggest that leaders are individuals who develop team structures that then guide the actions of team members. Specifically, we examine structures of signification in the form of shared mental models, structures of domination in the form of role structures and structures of legitimation in form of rules and norms. The main contribution of our paper is the integration of various social theories to describe emergent leadership behaviours in distributed teams. We develop a set of propositions and illustrate with examples taken from Free/Libre Open Source Software development teams. We conclude by suggesting future research that might be conducted to test and further elaborate our theory.}, keywords = {FLOSS, Leadership}, attachments = {https://crowston.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/crowston-final.pdf}, author = {Kevin Crowston and Heckman, Robert and Annabi, Hala and Masango, Chengetai} } @conference {2004, title = {Effective work practices for software engineering}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2004 ACM workshop on Interdisciplinary software engineering research (WISER {\textquoteright}04)}, year = {2004}, pages = {18}, publisher = {ACM Press}, organization = {ACM Press}, address = {Newport Beach, CA, USA}, abstract = {We review the literature on Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) development and on software development, distributed work and teams more generally to develop a theoretical model to explain the performance of FLOSS teams. The proposed model is based on Hackman{\textquoteright}s [34] model of effectiveness of work teams, with coordination theory [52] and collective mind [79] to extend Hackman{\textquoteright}s model by elaborating team practices relevant to effectiveness in software development. We propose a set of propositions to guide further research.}, keywords = {FLOSS}, isbn = {1581139888}, doi = {10.1145/1029997.1030003}, attachments = {https://crowston.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/p18-crowston.pdf}, author = {Kevin Crowston and Annabi, Hala and James Howison and Masango, Chengetai} } @article {2004, title = {A structurational model of leadership in virtual distributed groups}, year = {2004}, note = {"A structurational model of the dynamics of Free/Libre Open Source Software development teams". Presentation at the IFIP WG 8.2 OASIS Workshop 2004, Washington, DC, 12 December 2004. (Powerpoint file).}, keywords = {FLOSS}, attachments = {https://crowston.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/crowston_oasis_2004v3.pdf}, author = {Kevin Crowston and Annabi, Hala and Heckman, Robert} } @conference {Crowston:2004c, title = {Towards a portfolio of FLOSS project success measures}, booktitle = {Workshop on Open Source Software Engineering, 26th International Conference on Software Engineering}, year = {2004}, address = {Edinburgh}, abstract = {Project success is one of the most widely used dependent variables in information systems research. However, conventional measures of project success are difficult to apply to Free/Libre Open Source Software projects. In this paper, we present an analysis of four measures of success applied to SourceForge projects: number of members of the extended development community, project activity, bug fixing time and number of downloads. We argue that these four measures provide different insights into the collaboration and control mechanisms of the projects.}, attachments = {https://crowston.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/Towards_a_Portfolio_\%20of\%20_FLOSS_Project.pdf}, author = {Kevin Crowston and Annabi, Hala and James Howison and Masango, Chengetai} } @booklet {2003, title = {Collective Learning in Distributed Groups (Research in progress)}, year = {2003}, publisher = {Syracuse University School of Information Studies}, keywords = {FLOSS}, author = {Annabi, Hala and Kevin Crowston} } @proceedings {Crowston:2003c, title = {Defining Open Source Software project success}, year = {2003}, address = {Seattle, WA, December}, abstract = {Information systems success is one of the most widely used dependent variables in information systems research. In this paper, we identify a range of measures that can be used to assess the success of Open Source Software (OSS) projects. We identify measures based on a review of the literature, a consideration of the OSS development process and an analysis of the opinions of OSS developers. For each measure, we provide examples of how they might be used in a study of OSS development.}, keywords = {FLOSS}, attachments = {https://crowston.syr.edu/sites/crowston.syr.edu/files/icis2003success.pdf}, author = {Kevin Crowston and Annabi, Hala and James Howison} }