Uncovering Community Smells in Machine Learning-Enabled Systems: Causes, Effects, and Mitigation Strategies
Giusy Annunziata, Stefano Lambiase, Damian A. Tamburri, Willem‐Jan van den Heuvel, Fabio Palomba, Gemma Catolino, Filomena Ferrucci, Andrea De Lucia · ACM Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology · 2025
Successful software development hinges on effective communication and collaboration, which are significantly influenced by human and social dynamics. Poor management of these elements can lead to the emergence of ‘community smells’, i.e., negative patterns in socio-technical interactions that gradually accumulate as ‘social debt’. This issue is particularly pertinent in machine learning-enabled systems, where diverse actors such as data engineers and software engineers interact at various levels. The unique collaboration context of these systems presents an ideal setting to investigate community smells and their impact on development communities. This article addresses a gap in the literature by identifying the types, causes, effects, and potential mitigation strategies of community smells in machine learning-enabled systems. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), we developed hypotheses based on existing literature and interviews, and conducted a questionnaire-based study to collect data. Our analysis resulted in the construction and validation of five models that represent the causes, effects, and strategies for five specific community smells. These models can help practitioners identify and address community smells within their organizations, while also providing valuable insights for future research on the socio-technical aspects of machine learning-enabled system communities.