Shared Mental Models and Coordination in Large-Scale, Distributed Software Development

This dissertation research investigates how shared mental models and geographic dispersion affect coordination in large-scale, distributed software development. It is based on three field studies of software developers at a large telecommunications company: a study based on face-to-face interviews; a survey study; and an archival study using software production data. Results show that: shared mental models have a positive effect on team coordination; prior work familiarity with same software parts and previous projects reduces software development time; geographic dispersion increases software development time; and the effect of common prior work familiarity is stronger for geographically distributed teams than for co-located teams.