  We see that the collaborative and participatory nature of software
development continues to evolve, shape and be shaped by communication channels
that are used by developer communities of practice--both by traditional
communication channels (e.g., telephone, in-person interactions), as well as
social features that may be standalone or integrated with other development
tools (e.g., email, chat, and forums). Within a community of practice, software
is a combination of the externalized knowledge (e.g., code, documentation,
history of activities) as well as the tacit knowledge that resides in the
community members' heads (e.g., experience of when to use an API, or design
constraints that are not written down). Communication channels and development
tools support developers in forming and sharing both externalized and tacit
knowledge in a highly collaborative manner.
  However, not much is known about the impact this participatory culture is
having on software development practices nor on the knowledge-building
processes. The research community has been studying the tools and communication
channels used by developers in an effort to broaden our understanding. But,
studying only the tools and channels can only provide a narrow perspective. We
believe that software development has evolved beyond the agile process, into a
Participatory Process--A knowledge building process which is characterized by
the (1) knowledge activities and actions, (2) stakeholder roles, and (3) is
enabled by socially enhanced tools and communication channels. Thus, it is
important to gain an understanding of each one of the components, and the way
these components interact and shape each other.
