Sustainable Work Patterns Are Context-Dependent
Context
Examination of work pattern sustainability across different development environments, team compositions, and project types.
Observation
Work patterns showing high sustainability in one context demonstrated significant variation in effectiveness when transferred to different environments. Success rates of pattern transfer between contexts ranged from 23% to 68%.
Insight
The sustainability of work patterns appears highly dependent on contextual factors rather than inherent pattern characteristics. Similar patterns produce different outcomes across varying technical and social environments.
Why This Matters
Understanding the context-dependent nature of sustainability could influence how we interpret pattern effectiveness. The same pattern might represent different loads or risks in different contexts.
Limitation
Study focused on discrete, identifiable contexts. Real-world environments often involve overlapping or transitioning contexts not captured in this analysis.