Design Information Sharing Across Multiple Knowledge Systems in a FLOSS Community

This paper explores support for design information sharing between the distinct knowledge systems and skill sets of interactive system designers and developers. The paper focuses on the challenges of sharing information among groups of designers, developers, and users with multiple knowledge systems in the context of free/libre/open source software (FLOSS) communities. Bringing design to FLOSS communities introduces new knowledge into a solitary community of practice, and discussion ensues about how exploiting the 'symmetry of ignorance' can enhance information sharing through design in CodePlex, an open source project hosting community website. Finally, design mockups illustrate how CodePlex serves as a boundary object supporting design information sharing across distinct knowledge systems.