Guiding Principles for Developing Adaptive Software Products

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of problems that are faced by software development practitioners. While communication, team management, coding and software documentation are some of the persistent problems, the first and major troubles for software practitioners is to select appropriate software development approach. This approach should allow developers to develop adaptive software products. The role of organizational culture, context, practice and concepts in developing adaptive software products is also discussed. This qualitative research study interviewed seven software development practitioners in South Africa, focusing on software developmental methods that allow the capturing of softer, human elements inherent in organizations and the accompanying problems that inhibit their inclusion in the resultant software products.The research used Grounded Theory Method, to construct a framework of requirements that must be considered when choosing a software development approach that allows the development of adaptive software products. This framework highlights the importance of employing a software development approach that is grounded in the relativistic paradigm, adopting a behavioral systems approach and adopting methods whose communication techniques and tools can capture the humanist elements that are inherent in organizational systems.

The Role of SDMs in Preserving the Organisational Strategy during BPR: Lessons from SA MHEIs

“…Muthu et al (1999) consider SDMs as a key factor in BPR for organizations that want to witness organised change in its operations. Mavetera (2004), Mavetera and Kroeze (2010), Huisman and Iivari (2006) argue that Information Systems should forge some type of humanistic, non-deterministic, dynamic behaviour which can sometimes be captured and enhanced in most SDMs. Apart from the claims above and all the theory written to appraise application of SDM it is still not very clear how SDMs are being applied or whether they are being used for BPR purposes.…”