Abstract
There are not many frameworks of method utilization or use in organization based on empirical studies nor is there a common understanding of these issues. This paper investigates how systems development methods are utilized in practice and proposes a framework to conceive method utilization. The explanatory value of the framework is illustrated by providing an analysis of a case study. The framework highlights several issues of method utilization based on a three years long field study. The framework has two dimensions. The first dimension covers three levels in organizations at which methods can be utilized. They are the organizational level, the project level, and the individual level. The second dimension covers three aspect of utilization of the method that can take place at each level. The three aspects are adoption, adaptation, and use. Thereby the framework provides nine perspectives on method utilization that allow us to understand and guide method utilization in a broader sense than we have found in the literature, which primarily deals with a subset of the nine perspectives. Furthermore, the paper introduces a distinction between method use and method utilization to emphasize a broad view on method utilization. Method utilization includes adoption, adaptation, and use at different levels in development organizations. Method use is strictly defined as the use of methods for systems development.
Recommended Citation
Vogelsang, Lasse and Kensing, Finn, "Utilizing systems development methods – a conceptual framework" (2006). ECIS 2006 Proceedings. 5.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2006/5