This paper reports data from a study that seeks to characterize the differences in design
structure between complex software products. In particular, we use Design Structure
Matrices (DSMs) to map the dependencies between the elements of a design and define
metrics that allow us to compare the structures of different designs. We first use these
metrics to compare the architectures of two software products – the Linux operating
system and the Mozilla web browser – that were developed via contrasting modes of
organization: specifically, open source versus proprietary development. We then track
the evolution of Mozilla, paying particular attention to a purposeful “re-design” effort
that was undertaken with the intention of making the product more “modular.”
We find significant differences in structure between Linux and the first version of
Mozilla, suggesting that Linux had a more modular architecture. We also find that the redesign
of Mozilla resulted in an architecture that was significantly more modular than
that of its predecessor, and indeed, than that of Linux. Our results, while exploratory, are
consistent with a view that different modes of organization are associated with designs
that possess different structures. However, we also illustrate that purposeful managerial
actions can have a large impact on structure. This latter result is important given recent
moves to release proprietary software into the public domain. These moves are likely to
fail unless the product possesses an architecture that facilitates participation. Our paper
provides evidence that a tightly-coupled design can be adapted to meet this objective.
%0 Report
%1 maccormack05
%A MacCormack, Alan
%A Rusnak, John
%A Baldwin, Carliss Y.
%D 2005
%I Harvard Business School
%K complexity could-read design empirical open-source
%N 05-016
%T Exploring the Structure of Complex Software Designs: An Empirical Study of Open Source and Proprietary Code
%U http://freesoftware.mit.edu/papers/maccormackrusnakbaldwin2.pdf
%X This paper reports data from a study that seeks to characterize the differences in design
structure between complex software products. In particular, we use Design Structure
Matrices (DSMs) to map the dependencies between the elements of a design and define
metrics that allow us to compare the structures of different designs. We first use these
metrics to compare the architectures of two software products – the Linux operating
system and the Mozilla web browser – that were developed via contrasting modes of
organization: specifically, open source versus proprietary development. We then track
the evolution of Mozilla, paying particular attention to a purposeful “re-design” effort
that was undertaken with the intention of making the product more “modular.”
We find significant differences in structure between Linux and the first version of
Mozilla, suggesting that Linux had a more modular architecture. We also find that the redesign
of Mozilla resulted in an architecture that was significantly more modular than
that of its predecessor, and indeed, than that of Linux. Our results, while exploratory, are
consistent with a view that different modes of organization are associated with designs
that possess different structures. However, we also illustrate that purposeful managerial
actions can have a large impact on structure. This latter result is important given recent
moves to release proprietary software into the public domain. These moves are likely to
fail unless the product possesses an architecture that facilitates participation. Our paper
provides evidence that a tightly-coupled design can be adapted to meet this objective.
@techreport{maccormack05,
abstract = {This paper reports data from a study that seeks to characterize the differences in design
structure between complex software products. In particular, we use Design Structure
Matrices (DSMs) to map the dependencies between the elements of a design and define
metrics that allow us to compare the structures of different designs. We first use these
metrics to compare the architectures of two software products – the Linux operating
system and the Mozilla web browser – that were developed via contrasting modes of
organization: specifically, open source versus proprietary development. We then track
the evolution of Mozilla, paying particular attention to a purposeful “re-design” effort
that was undertaken with the intention of making the product more “modular.”
We find significant differences in structure between Linux and the first version of
Mozilla, suggesting that Linux had a more modular architecture. We also find that the redesign
of Mozilla resulted in an architecture that was significantly more modular than
that of its predecessor, and indeed, than that of Linux. Our results, while exploratory, are
consistent with a view that different modes of organization are associated with designs
that possess different structures. However, we also illustrate that purposeful managerial
actions can have a large impact on structure. This latter result is important given recent
moves to release proprietary software into the public domain. These moves are likely to
fail unless the product possesses an architecture that facilitates participation. Our paper
provides evidence that a tightly-coupled design can be adapted to meet this objective.},
added-at = {2006-09-25T23:20:40.000+0200},
author = {MacCormack, Alan and Rusnak, John and Baldwin, Carliss Y.},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2dd1595573c25988f6df6a4875df255fc/neilernst},
institution = {Harvard Business School},
interhash = {b79c1dd43c1bdfbccec8c6dfb23cc320},
intrahash = {dd1595573c25988f6df6a4875df255fc},
keywords = {complexity could-read design empirical open-source},
number = {05-016},
publisher = {Harvard Business School},
timestamp = {2008-01-07T21:06:51.000+0100},
title = {Exploring the Structure of Complex Software Designs: An Empirical Study of Open Source and Proprietary Code},
type = {Working Paper},
url = {http://freesoftware.mit.edu/papers/maccormackrusnakbaldwin2.pdf},
year = 2005
}