A Framework for Understanding Information Systems Development

Abstract

This chapter explores how Dooyeweerd’s philosophy might help us understand the challenges and issues in ISD as they are seen from an everyday perspective. The information system that is developed includes both the technical artefact or system and the human context of its use, which is often organisational. The communities of practice and research in this area include those involved in programming, system design, systems analysis, organisational analysis, knowledge elicitation, modelling, and many more. First this chapter reviews the history of ISD and paradigms, and shows briefly why a new paradigmatic approach might be useful. Then it applies Dooyeweerd’s notion of multi-aspectual functioning to understand what goes on in ISD, and derives a tentative framework for understanding it.