Software projects rely on what we call project archetypes, i.e., pre-existing mental images of how projects work. They guide distribution of responsibilities, planning, or expectations. However, with the technological progress, project archetypes may become outdated, ineffective, or counterproductive by impeding more adequate approaches. Understanding archetypes of software development projects is core to leverage their potential. The development of applications using machine learning and artificial intelligence provides a context in which existing archetypes might outdate and need to be questioned, adapted, or replaced. We analyzed 36 interviews from 21 projects between IBM Watson and client companies and identified four project archetypes members initially used to understand the projects. We then derive a new project archetype, cognitive computing project, from the interviews. It can inform future development projects based on AI-development platforms. Project leaders should proactively manage project archetypes while researchers should investigate what guides initial understandings of software projects.

翻译：软件项目依赖于我们所谓的项目原型，即关于项目如何运作的既有心理图式。它们指导着责任分配、规划制定或期望管理。然而，随着技术进步，项目原型可能因阻碍更适宜的方法而变得过时、低效或适得其反。理解软件开发项目的原型是利用其潜力的核心。使用机器学习和人工智能的应用程序开发为现有原型可能过时并需要被质疑、调整或替换提供了背景。我们分析了IBM Watson与客户公司之间21个项目的36次访谈，识别出项目成员最初用于理解项目的四种项目原型。随后我们从访谈中推导出新的项目原型——认知计算项目。该原型可为基于AI开发平台的未来开发项目提供参考。项目领导者应主动管理项目原型，而研究人员则应探究指导软件项目初始理解的因素。