Software Prototypes as Boundary Objects

Diverse knowledge of virtual teams is essential for the development of new ideas and solutions to problems. When team members share and integrate different perspectives, new knowledge can emerge. At the same time, when diverse knowledge is distributed among several team members, knowledge integration across borders is particularly difficult. In our research, we focus on the role of software prototypes as boundary objects. On the one hand, we examine how software prototypes can be transformed into boundary objects, i.e., how the essential characteristics of boundary objects can emerge through use practices with software prototypes to enable collaboration across borders. On the other hand, we examine how software prototypes help team members to integrate knowledge in different ways over a project’s life.