- 05 Jul 2006
- Working Paper Summaries
Exploring the Structure of Complex Software Designs: An Empirical Study of Open Source and Proprietary Code
How does a product's design mirror the organization that develops it, and how does such a dynamic occur? To track the evolution of one design over time, this exploratory study compared software designs developed via different modes of organization-open source versus proprietary development. As it turned out, the architecture of the product developed by a highly distributed team of developers (Linux) was more modular than another product of similar size developed by a co-located team of developers (Mozilla). The study helped reveal potential performance tradeoffs from architectures with different characteristics. Key concepts include: The value of design is a managerial choice. There are important, measurable differences in modularity between different software systems of comparable size and function. Systems may vary dramatically in terms of their robustness to change, and the costs and efficiency of future enhancements. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
- 25 Sep 2000
- Research & Ideas
More Than the Sum of Its Parts: The Impact of Modularity on the Computer Industry
The "power of modularity," write HBS Dean Kim Clark and Professor Carliss Baldwin in their new book, rescued the computer industry from a problem of nightmarish proportions and made possible remarkable levels of innovation and growth in a relatively short period of time. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.
How Kayak Users Built a New Industry
Customers have produced some of the most important innovations in industries ranging from oil refining to scientific instruments. But how do user innovations take place? How do they get to market? Professor Carliss Baldwin discusses research into the rodeo kayak industry to understand the world of user innovation. Key concepts include: Many product innovations originate with users, and as user communities quickly add more improvements, a "design space" is initiated. User innovators seem to spring up around industries such as recreation, where participants are passionate and design costs are low. Commercial opportunities to build upon existing products may be available for both users and existing companies—but the timing is different for each. Closed for comment; 0 Comments.