On the development of a theoretical model of the impact of trust in the performance of distributed software projects

Trust is often defined as the belief that the trustee will meet the positive expectations of the trustor. Although several studies have discussed the topic, little is still known about the impact of trust (or lack of it) in the performance of distributed software projects. In this paper we present initial findings of an empirically informed study that aimed to identify which factors influence positively or negatively one's perceived trustworthiness of others in the project and the impact of such factors on specific project performance measures. Availability, competence, expertise, face-to-face communication, and leadership are among the factors considered to positively influence the development of trust and the consequent achievement of performance metrics. This is a first step on a larger investigation aiming to develop a theoretical model of the impact of trust in the performance of distributed software projects. Such a model can be used by researchers as a reference framework to further investigate the topic and by practitioners to better manage and organize distributed software teams.