Ken, I am not totally clear on your question, but I think you are saying that my assumption about having software designers and developers embedded is not a given and asking whether there is something inherent in OSS itself that will make improving user experience more likely.
One way I think a team that lacks software development and design resource but is rich in learning design can make a difference is to partner with OSS teams working with learning design or LMS tools. UX designers and developers alike need to talk to and observe people who are engaged in these activities to make sure these are expressed adequately prior to any software being developed and that the designers truly understand the users and their end-goals. However, this means managers need to be willing to make time for this to happen, and that means having the ability to express a return on investment. Some institutions and managers seem “get this” in a way that seems like it is in their genes! Others can't see the benefit. Those of us engaged in OSS “ especially community source “ have to get better at making that case.
In regards to the qualities of open source communities being more or less suited to improving user experience, I will say that my experience will be slanted toward my Sakai and Fluid experience. Using these two projects as a model, I would say that we are uniquely situated to address the user experience because we are embedded with our users, and many of us are users. Therefore, we feel the pain of our own mistakes beyond the market. I think this is also true for many developers of Apache projects or Linux. We are challenged in that many of us haven't hired the designers we need, leaving us in a situation where we can fix the plumbing but the house is an ugly mess (I say that lovingly). We also have the ability to learn from our mistakes and pool resources in a way that a commercial venture can't (without acquisitions or ugly patents).
Did this address your questions at all, or was I way off base?
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