Parallel Changes in Large Scale Software Development: An Observational Case Study

An essential characteristic of large scale software development is parallel development by teams of developers. How this parallel development is structured and supported has a profound effect on both the quality and timeliness of the product. We conduct an observational case study in which we collect and analyze the change and configuration management history of a legacy system to delineate the boundaries of, and to understand the nature of, the problems encountered in parallel development. Specifically we focus on potentially conflicting changes that arise for a variety of reasons in a variety of contexts. We then use this understanding in two ways: To evaluate various alternative methodical and technical support for parallel development in terms of their effectiveness in solving these problems; and to suggest useful avenues of process, tool and management investigations.