An empirical evaluation of a methodology-tailoring information system development model (original) (raw)
On the Concept of Method in Information Systems Development
2000
System development methods are often used as aids during the development of information systems. This paper examines the concept of method and other related notions in order to achieve a better understanding of their meaning and structure. The motivation for this paper is the emerging flora of different and related concepts and thus a need to sort things out. The main contribution of the paper is a conceptual model describing how the method concept and other related notions relate.
A Framework for Selection of Information Systems Development Methodologies
Computer and Information Science, 2009
Information systems are increasingly becoming regarded as crucial to an organisation's success. A development methodology for an information system is a framework to organize, program and supervise the process of developing an information system. There many are different methodologies for information systems development. Obviously, no methodology can claim that it can be applied to any organisation. Therefore, organisations should have an evaluation framework for selecting an appropriate and efficient methodology. In this paper, we propose an evaluation framework for selecting information systems development methodology in order to facilitate the development process of information systems in organisations. In this work, we will describe and compare different hard and soft systems approaches at first, then in the following sections, one kind of methodology's classifications is pointed and one methodology from each class is introduced. Finally, a comparison framework is proposed and methodologies are compared by this framework. The value of this framework is that, with use of it, organisations can evaluate their development methodology with respect to the key features of it before implementing any methodology as well as expending extra costs. This framework is theoretical in nature, and is build based on a review of related literature.
Relationship between Information Systems Development Paradigms and Methods
There are well established paradigms for Information Systems development but the methods used for Information Systems development have not been tied to most of these paradigms. Researchers have attempted to document the assumptions underlying different paradigms with the goal of making systems developers become aware of the assumptions and beliefs that they employ for a systems development task. However, a number of Information Systems that have failed are as a result of lack of awareness by the Information Systems developers of some of the methods that should be used when dealing with an ISD problem. IS researchers have not related some of the ISD methods that can be used by practitioners to identified ISD paradigms. In this paper, ISD methods have been classified under some of the major ISD paradigms in form of a matrix. It is hope that such a classification will enable IS developers to easily identify the methods that they should use which should lead inturn to better quality of Information Systems and a reduction in time and cost in Information System Development.
Information systems development: methodologies, techniques and tools
2003
This paper first provides a historical perspective on approaches to developing infonnation systems and argues that there are major weaknesses associated with the conventional waterfall model and the methodologies which followed. The paper suggests that a contingency approach to information systems development has much to offer and looks at Multiview, which is described as an exploration in infom1ation systems development. Some strengths and weaknesses of this contingency approach an~ highlighted and a new version of Multi view offered. This description enahles a further discussion of infom1ation systems development and suggests that human and organisational aspect are at least as important as the technical ones which tend to he emphasised. Information systems development is seen as first a social process, though it will contain technical aspects. This social process is examined in more detail illustrating the arguments, for example, with different views of the systems analyst and the problem situation in this process. Such a broad approach also suggests that the area of which infom1ation systems development is a part, is multi-disciplinary where technology and computing are hy no means dominant.
An Investigation of the Use of Methods within Information Systems Development Projects
The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries
The development of information systems has always been and remains a volatile environment. Practitioners and researchers within the field of information systems development (ISD) have put forward a number of different ideas over the past thirty years to better monitor and control the process. The use of traditional ISD methods has been one such idea that has not only achieved widespread application but has garnered many criticisms regarding its application. This study seeks to investigate whether these criticisms are supported in terms of how present day organizations utilize traditional ISD methods in light of the increased diversity and sophistication of ISD projects. The findings of the study i ndicate that whilst methods are considered an integral part of the majority of development projects, they cannot be adopted without a significant amount of modification to suit individual development projects. In addition, traditional ISD methods were considered of limited use within the present ISD environment.
Selecting a Systems Development Methodology
Information Resources Management Journal, 1991
ABSTRACT Uncertainty and complexity are inherent characteristics of a new information system. They occur at the beginning of the project and with different intensities during development depending on the system's type. Based on a review of the literature, it is argued that uncertainty and complexity can be used to derive the most suitable development strategy for a given project. A framework integrating system types and their corresponding development strategies is offered and justifications supplied. General guidelines concerning the application of the framework are provided for the practicing managers.
A Framework of Information Systems Development Concepts
Business Systems Research Journal
Background: Information Systems Development (ISD) is responsible for designing and implementing information systems that support organizational strategy, leveraging business models and processes. Several perspectives on this activity can be found in the literature, addressing – often in an undifferentiated manner – approaches, lifecycles, methodologies, and process models, among others. Objectives: The vast diversity of ideas and concepts surrounding ISD and the multiple underlying views on the subject make it harder for researchers and practitioners to understand the relevant aspects of this important activity. This article aims to systematize and organize ISD’s main concepts to create a coherent perspective. Methods/Approach: We conducted a literature review and thematic analysis of ISD’s main concepts. Results: To contribute to filling the research gap, this article proposes a new framework that addresses the key aspects related to ISD. Conclusions: The framework comprises ISD’s ...
A comparison of five alternative approaches to information systems development
The field of information systems (IS) has grown dramatically over the past three decades. Recent trends have transformed the IS landscape. These trends include: the evolution of implementation technology from centralized mainframe environments towards distributed client-server architectures, embracing the internet and intranets; changes in user interface technology from character-based to graphical user interfaces, multimedia, and the World Wide Web; changes in applications from transaction processing systems towards systems supporting collaborative work; and the use of information technology as an enabler of business process reengineering and redesign. These technology changes coupled with changes in organizations and their operating environment, such as the growth of the network and virtual organization, internationalization and globalization of many organizations, intensified global competition, changes in values such as customer orientation (service quality) and Quality of Working Life, have imposed new demands on the development of information systems. These changes have led to an increasing discussion about information systems development (ISO), and in particular, the various methods, tools, methodologies, and approaches for ISD. We believe such discussion has opened the door for new, alternative IS development approaches and methodologies. Our paper takes up this theme by describing five alternative ISD approaches, namely the Interactionist approach, the Speech Act-based approach, Soft Systems Methodology, the Trade Unionist approach, and the Professional Work Practices approach. Despite the fact that most of these approaches have a history of over 15 years, their relevance to IS development is not well recognized in the mainstream of IS practice and research, nor is their institutional status comparable to traditional approaches such as structured analysis and design methods. Therefore we characterize the five approaches as 'alternative' in the sense of alternative to the orthodoxy. The selection of the five approaches is essentially based on the finding that research on ISD approaches and methodologies has been dominated by a single set of philosophical assumptions regarding the nature of the phenomena studied and what constitutes valid knowledge about those phenomena . The idea behind the selection of the five ISD approaches has been to include approaches which challenge the dominant assumptions. These alternative approaches typically build upon radically different conceptions of the goals, meaning, function and processes of ISD. Part of the rationale for our paper is to meet the need of a concise yet penetrating way of introducing alternative ways of system development to a wider audience. The way in which the approaches are introduced, highlights their underlying principles and features. This naturally leads to a critical examination of their strengths and weaknesses. From this angle the paper adds more detail to the earlier work on mapping the terrain of the complex literature on IS development (cf.
2008
The goal of this study is to apply a multidisciplinary approach towards the discovery of core concepts in the art and science of design. This study advances the intellectual body of knowledge for design science by uncovering common areas of agreement between information systems (IS) and computer science (CS) encouraging the development of new design theories within each individual field. This research avoids the trap of finding "yet another methodology" by merging the two dichotomous paradigms of design-as-natural-science and design-as-human-science, and by viewing the common concepts from these approaches through various philosophical lenses. These philosophical lenses ensure that the foundations for art and science of design will be capable of explaining the laws and theories of design and not merely reproduce a set of rules and procedures.