Developing and deploying a pervasive space is a multi-disciplined process where knowledge from various domains intersects. How can individual roles efficiently contribute their expertise and smoothly integrate their work to create a pervasive space? How does system design and architecture enable effective decoupling of these roles? Based on our own experience in building several pervasive systems including the Gator Tech Smart House (GTSH), this paper discusses a collaboration model that allows multiple roles, working together, to design, develop, and maintain pervasive systems in physical spaces such as homes and buildings. The paper first introduces each role in the model with its designated resources and responsibilities. It then explains the collaboration model and shows how it can be applied in real-world deployments. This paper does not claim to provide an ultimate solution to a well-defined problem. Rather, it attempts to define an increasingly important problem and provides an installment of thoughts toward solutions. We hope the paper raises awareness to the importance of this subject and leads to a productive discussion during and following the workshop. © 2012 IEEE.