An analysis of the usage of systems development methods in South Africa

Abstract

The systems development process is commonly described in terms of a System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). There is a wide range of tools and techniques available to the system developer, and these are typically used for different activities at different stages of the life cycle. Some of these tools have been the focus of much research but are not widely used in practice. Others are widely used, but ignored in the literature. Many of the traditional tools have been incorporated into so-called systems development methodologies, while others have fallen into disuse over time. For many organisations, the extent of automation of a tool will dictate its effectiveness in developing systems. This exploratory study examines the incidence of usage of tools and techniques for systems development in South Africa. The findings of the study are compared to those of previous researchers to ascertain whether some stages of the SDLC are neglected, and to compare the South African situation to the international environment. The implications of these findings for structured methodologies and CASE are discussed.