Flexible and distributed information systems development

In recent years, considerable research attention has been devoted to process flexibility and globally distributed IS development. The quest for flexibility is evident in the development of various agile methods, such as DSDM, XP, and SCRUM. Agile development methods are examples of apparently major success stories that seem to have run counter to the prevailing wisdom in IS and software engineering. However, rather than being anti-method, agile approaches operate on the principle of “just enough method.” The quest for flexibility is also apparent in the currently increasing interest in striking a balance between the rigor of traditional approaches and the need for adaptation of those to suit particular development situations. Although suitable methods may exist, developers struggle in practice when selecting methods and tailoring these to suit their needs. Distributed development recognizes the fact that more and more IS development takes place in globally distributed settings. This is perhaps most evident in the many cases of offshoring and outsourcing of software development to low-cost countries. Distributed development places new demands on the development process through the increased complexity related to communication, coordination, cooperation, control, and culture, as well as to technology and tools. Interestingly, many of the difficulties faced in globally distributed IS development are the same issues surfaced by agile methods and development flexibility in general...