Using Social Networks to Support Software Ecosystems Comprehension and Evolution

Abstract

The software industry has evolved to a multiple-product development created on a platform and based on a common architecture integrated to other systems. This integration happens through components and third-party developers networks in Software Ecosystems (SECOs). Since systems and software development processes present challenges beyond the technical side, SECOs have emerged as an approach to improve the Software Engineering (SE) mindset in the industry. This fact changes the software industry as it requires the management of an integrated social-based environment to support a transition from an intra-organizational to an open business model approach towards a SECO approach. In this context, social networks can be important to coordinate a collaborative and distributed environment to develop SECOs platforms. This paper analyses the impact of social networks in SECOs through an integrated framework of the SECO and social network challenges. So, a proposal for a sociotechnical-based architecture to support the SECOs lifecycle is discussed.