Formalised systems development methodologies: a critical perspective

Systems development issues occupy a position of central importance in the information systems field and, indeed, much has been prescribed in the quest for successful systems development. However, given the well-documented "software crisis", success is far from guaranteed for systems development projects. Many researchers see the solution to the software crisis in terms of increased control and the more widespread adoption of rigorous and formalised system development methodologies. This paper first presents some arguments and pressures which support the use of methodologies. Some evidence of the literature bias which favours methodologies is also provided. However, the problems associated with the use of methodologies have not perhaps received as much attention in previous research. This paper identifies a number of arguments and pressures which question the value of methodologies, and reports the results of a field study which investigated the role of methodologies in practice. The critical perspective adopted in this paper shows that, contrary to the predominant literature view, the assumption that increased adoption of methodologies would help address the problems inherent in systems development is by no means proven.