Managing Uncertainty in Globally Distributed Software Development Projects

Global software development is not a phenomenon but a reality nowadays. However, it is still poorly explored. Lack of awareness of the particular factors inherited in the nature of globally distributed software projects makes practitioners struggle and invent new approaches to survive. It uncovers the necessity to support risk management activities. This paper describes a Knowledge Base and a Risk Barometer developed to support practitioners who lack experience in global projects. Particularities of globally distributed projects and their effect on project performance are formalized in a reusable framework for managing uncertainty. The described tools provide input for risk identification and help to evaluate risks based on the experience from former projects.