A descriptive framework for investigating problems in the application of systems development methodologies

It is generally taken as axiomatic that systems development methodologies (SDMs) play a useful role in guiding the development process, and that their increased adoption would improve the product and process of systems development. This paper begins by briefly reviewing the arguments and pressures in favour of SDMs. Following this, a descriptive model of the system development process is formulated, and this is then used as a framework to map a number of fundamental problems in relation to the use of SDMs and their contribution to systems development.