Actors’ Competencies or Methods? A Case Study of Successful Information Systems Development

Research on information systems development methods has by and large acknowledged a significant difference between a method and its use and that the use depends on the situation and the developers, as well as other contingencies. We extend this research and focus in particular on the relationship between actors’ competencies and their deployment of methods, arguing that this relationship is described over-simplistically and needs a better explanation. Through a case study of a successful information systems development project we identify some central situations where a variety of competencies and methods are exercised. Emphasising the intertwining of competencies and methods, we discuss the character of the intertwining process, how different actors relate to different methods, and how methods may be part of the problem rather than part of the solution to challenges in information systems development. The paper suggests elements for a new model for explaining actors’ competencies and their use of methods.