Assessing Teamwork Dynamics in Software Development Projects

TL;DR

This paper analyzes teamwork in student software projects by combining data from commit logs and surveys, revealing that balanced contributions and effective communication improve project success.

Contribution

It introduces a mixed-method approach to assess teamwork dynamics, highlighting the impact of contribution balance and communication on project outcomes.

Findings

Teams with minimal contribution discrepancies scored higher

Effective communication correlates with better project grades

Role clarity and feedback improve teamwork effectiveness

Abstract

This study investigates teamwork dynamics in student software development projects through a mixed-method approach combining quantitative analysis of GitLab commit logs and qualitative survey data. We analyzed individual contributions across six project phases, comparing self-reported and actual contributions to measure discrepancies. Additionally, a survey captured insights on team leadership, conflict resolution, communication practices, and workload perceptions. Findings reveal that teams with minimal contribution discrepancies achieved higher project grades and exam pass rates. In contrast, teams with more significant discrepancies experienced lower performance, potentially due to role clarity and communication issues. These results underscore the value of shared leadership, structured conflict resolution, and regular feedback in fostering effective teamwork, offering educators strategies to enhance collaboration in software engineering education through self-reflection and balanced workload allocation.