Asynchronous Decision-Making in Distributed Teams

Extensive use of CSCW applications can influence group decision-making practices. Unlike previous research focused on the influence of synchronous ICTs, our study examines how group decisions are made in asynchronous communication channels. Our inductive qualitative analysis of 360 decision episodes of six FLOSS projects revealed diversity in decision-making practices, which appears to be related to differences in project effectiveness and task type. We also find that standardization of procedures through CSCW tools transforms the nature of some software development work from non-routine to standard procedure.