Software-intensive organizations cannot help but learn. A software organization that does not learn will not exist for long, because the software market is continuously on the move,because of new customerdemandsand needs, and becauseof new competitor products and services. Software organizationsmust adapt quickly to this ever-changing environment, and the capability to adapt is one of the most important aspects of lea- ing. Smart organizations will attempt to predict future software demands, and develop a corresponding knowledge road map that identi?es the capabilities needed over time in order to meet these demands. Organizational learning typically occurs when experienced organization members share their knowledge with colleagues, such that the organization as a whole can pro?t from the intellectual capital of its members. While knowledge is typically shared in an adhoc fashion by means of direct, face-to-face communication, a learning software organizationwill want to ensurethat this knowledgesharingoccursina systematicway, enabling it whenever and wherever it is needed.
Since 1999,the annualInternationalWorkshopon LearningSoftwareOrganizations (LSO) hasprovideda communicationforumthat bringstogether academiaand industry to discuss the advancements in and to address the questions of continuous learning in software-intensive organizations. Building upon existing work on knowledge mana- ment and organizational learning, the workshop series promotes interdisciplinary - proaches from computer science and information systems, business, management and organization science as well as cognitive science.