Supporting Collaboration inSoftware Development Activities

Today, software development isintrinsically a col- laborative activity andthere isstill acrucial needtopro- videadequate computer tools wellsupporting collabora- tion insuchactivity. Empirical studies havealready iden- tified somerequirements toprovide better collaboration- awaresoftware development environments, andtheories coming fromhumanandsocial sciences still helpre- searchers tobetter understand these activities. Founding ourworkontheActivity Theory, wepresent heresome important issues thathavebeenidentified forcreating better software development environments. Addingour experience, weparticularly emphasize anaspect ofhu- manactivity that hasstill notreally beentaken intoac- count increating these computer supports: theuser's ex- perience crystallization andsharing. Finally, wepropose animplementation supporting theidentified properties in anexisting andwidely usedsoftware development envi- ronment.