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Comparing Two Software Design Process Theories

  • Conference paper
Global Perspectives on Design Science Research (DESRIST 2010)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 6105))

Abstract

This paper explores an ongoing conflict concerning the nature of software design. This conflict manifests itself as antagonism between managers and developers, debates about agile vs. plan-driven methodologies and aspiring developers’ dissatisfaction with their courses. One side views design as a plan-driven information processing task involving rational decision-making (the Reason-Centric Perspective), while the other views design as an improvised, creative task involving naturalized decision-making (Action-Centric Perspective). Each perspective includes an epistemology, theory of human action and a software design process theory (an explanation of how software is created in practice). This paper reports the results of an exploratory questionnaire study that comparatively and empirically evaluated the two process theories. Results clearly favor the Action-Centric process theory: the Sensemaking-Coevolution-Implementation Framework.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lancaster University, United Kingdom

    Paul Ralph

Authors
  1. Paul Ralph
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Information Management, University of St. Gallen, MĂĽller-Friedberg-Strasse 8, 9000, St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Robert Winter

  2. Department of Information Systems, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

    J. Leon Zhao

  3. Institut of Information Management, University of St. Gallen, Mueller-Friedberg-Strasse 8, 9000, St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Stephan Aier

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Ralph, P. (2010). Comparing Two Software Design Process Theories. In: Winter, R., Zhao, J.L., Aier, S. (eds) Global Perspectives on Design Science Research. DESRIST 2010. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 6105. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-13335-0_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-13335-0_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-13334-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-13335-0

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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