@article {1384,
	title = {On qualitative methodologies and dispersed communities: Reflections on the process of investigating an open source community},
	journal = {Information and Software Technology},
	volume = {53},
	year = {2011},
	month = {9/2011},
	pages = {981 - 993},
	abstract = {Context

Qualitative methodologies hold much potential for building an understanding of the principles and practices of free and open source software (FOSS) communities. Yet there is a scarcity in the literature of discussions focused on the practical and methodological challenges of this particular research context.
Objective

This paper formulates and addresses a number of questions regarding the applicability of qualitative methodologies for the study of FOSS communities. It reflects on the challenges of such approaches as seen in previous research efforts and discusses how they manifest in research practice through a thorough description of a case study of a community called PyPy.
Method

The paper primarily discusses interpretive research approaches which are based on ethnographic data collection methods. The study under discussion was an exploratory case study utilizing multiple methods, including participant observation, virtual ethnography, and open-ended questionnaires. Grounded Theory was used for data analysis.
Results

Two broad sets of challenges are highlighted in relation to the multidimensionality of the FOSS phenomenon and the difficulty of qualitative analysis of activities in long-term context. Additional issues identified relate to potential problems with focus and the need for reflexivity, but also to the extent of the study and the importance of maintaining an active relationship with the core community group.
Conclusion

This paper provides an overview {\textendash} grounded in practical research experience and linked to insights from the literature {\textendash} of methodological issues in the specific research area of qualitative studies of FOSS communities, which up until now has been lacking.},
	keywords = {case study, Collaborative practice, Distributed software development, Free open source communities, Qualitative methodologies},
	issn = {09505849},
	doi = {10.1016/j.infsof.2011.01.012},
	url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950584911000413},
	author = {Sigfridsson, Anders and Sheehan, Anne}
}
@conference {627,
	title = {Sprint-driven development: working, learning and the process of enculturation in the PyPy community},
	booktitle = {OSS2007: Open Source Development, Adoption and Innovation (IFIP 2.13)},
	series = {IFIP International Federation for Information Processing },
	volume = {234/2007},
	year = {2007},
	month = {2007///},
	pages = {133 - 146},
	publisher = {Springer},
	organization = {Springer},
	chapter = {11},
	abstract = {In this paper we examine sprint-driven software development as it occurs in a specific Open Source community, PyPy. Applying a situated learning perspective, we report the findings from a study focused on the activities leading up to, taking place during, and following after sprints. The study included analyses of sprint reports, email archives and other documents available on the community website, as well as a one-week period of direct observation of a specific sprint. The objective of the study was to elaborate on how the practices of sprint-driven development in the PyPy community facilitate learning, the dissemination of knowledge among its members and the expansion of the Open Source community. This paper aims to assess how sprint-driven development can facilitate situated learning in distributed software development by describing the practices applied in PyPy.
},
	issn = {978-0-387-72485-0},
	doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-72486-7_11},
	attachments = {https://flosshub.org/sites/flosshub.org/files/Spring-driven\%20development.pdf},
	author = {Sigfridsson, Anders and Avram, Gabriela and Sheehan, Anne and Sullivan, Daniel}
}
