Organizational Patterns - Virtual Organizations Pattern Language

To increase productivity and product quality in software development, companies invest in qualification of their engineers, improvement of their development processes and many other approaches. We believe that in addition a much more powerful way to go in the above direction is to try new complementary organizational forms of how people work together. Specifically the network form seems to fit modern daily practice and surrounding conditions. The patterns described in this paper are from a pattern language under development at our company. The central pattern „Virtual Organization Units“ was first introduced and reviewed in the „Pattern Writing Workshop at the University of Vienna ‘99“ with Coldewey, Coplien, Keller, Schwanninger, the others have been developed since then. Common Context This collection of patterns are particularly applicable to big Information Technology and Telecommunication companies with vertical organizational structures, otherwise known as business units. Every business unit covers a specific market segment and technological know how (domain know how like telecommunication networks, telecommunication management networks, bank & assurance, traffic control (air, train, vehicle, etc.). An already established practice of working in well organized projects. Common Problem An Institution wants just-in-time support for software projects for specific technology areas and proactive technology management in „cross cut“ technologies. It is too expensive to organize it through dedicated company departments.