Comparison of Selected Survey Instruments for Software Team Communication Research

One of the factors that influence task productivity is communication pertaining to task, resources, and organizational issues. The objective of this research is to explore the availability of validated survey instruments in the area of organizational and team communication and assess their applicability in software development team research. Based on past studies, we have selected six comprehensive instruments. This paper provides a brief summary of the instruments and the various dimensions that they cover. The instruments are classified using a Group Variable Classification System (GVCS - input-process - output - feedback) model for team research. As most of the instruments have been used in manufacturing or service environments in the past, these instruments need to be tailored for use in software team research. They can also be used as a basis for developing new instruments