Exploiting the Collaboration between Open Source Developers and Research

In this paper it is argued that open source developers and research projects carrying out user requirement analysis should collaborate at a closer level. In particular, we discuss how developers could take advantage of the knowledge generated by COSPA, a research project aimed at studying and supporting the introduction of open source software in the Public Administration. COSPA focuses on office automation and desktop system software and it could thus provide developers with user requirements from one of the main "corporate" users of software. To this aim, the project has established an "observer" status, by means of which interested parties may access COSPA's results, thereby fostering collaboration and increasing dissemination of knowledge.