Data Analysis
As part of the process of gathering data on Conway’s Law and on the Mirroring Hyphothesis I spent several months checking for sources of reliable data. I looked for any reference to organizational structures as they related to cloud software development or adoption of cloud services.
Coding
Creation and adoption of cloud services documented in the cases are identified through the initial round of coding that describes the dynamic nature of creation and adoption of the services. It describes changes to technical artefacts, cloud services or organizational structures that contain accounts of increased or decreased mirroring of technical and organizational ties. My analysis identifies examples of changes to organizational and technical ties in 44 articles.
The second round of coding categorizes the articles as follows:
- creation of cloud services (17)
- adoption of cloud services (27)
I sub-categorize the papers into evidence categories of:
- high (21)
- medium (11)
- low support for mirroring (8)
- with some papers not suitable for sub-categorization (4)
The third round of coding applies further sub-categories which further facilitate analysis. These final categories are:
- data source (e.g. field interviews)
- analysis type such as qualitative (29)
- quantitative (9)
- mixed (3)
- industry such as govt (5)
- software (13)
- education (4)
- music (4)
- telco (5)
- timeframe and service type (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)
Industry sources of data such as blog articles, podcasts and conference talks are relied on to enhance specific details contained in the main body of predominantly academic data.
Figure 3 shows the results of coding. Figure 4a and 4b show the list of papers and their support for the Mirroring Hypothesis. Figure 5 shows a list of industry sources that are relied on for specific technical details or clarifications.
Results of coding 
List of articles on cloud development and their support for Conway’s Law 
List of articles on cloud adoption and their support for the Mirroring Hypothesis 
List of industry sources that are relied on for specific technical details or clarifications 