An Empirically-Grounded Framework for the Information Systems Development Process

The literature has traditionally viewed methodologies as axiomatically appropriate to improving both the process and product of systems development with the use of methodologies being typically seen as “positive and well advised” (Jenkins, Naumann and Wetherbe 1984). While there are a number of significant arguments in favor of methodologies, there are also a number of arguments and pressures that question the use of methodologies. These are discussed in detail in Fitzgerald (1996), and are summarized briefly in section 2 to serve as a point of departure for the study. Following this, section 3 outlines the research objective and overall research approach adopted for the study. Section 4 presents the framework for the IS development process which is grounded in the research findings. Each component of the framework is discussed in some detail in section 5. Finally in section 6, the implications of the framework are identified and conclusions drawn