1.0 - Introduction

Abstract

This chapter presents an introduction to the world of planning and design of information systems. Since late 1970s, the world of planning and design of information systems has become more and more interesting. Most of this interest lies in the issues of quality of the information systems and productivity of the development of information systems on one hand, and methods for planning and design of information systems, several already available in the first half of the seventies and some even before, on the other. A theoretical basis in several related disciplines is necessary to operate successfully in practice in this area. Experience alone is not enough. If a technique or an approach, from a theoretical point of view, cannot work in a certain practical situation, it is not very wise to use it. No practitioner will be successful in planning and design of information systems in several environments, without sufficient theoretical knowledge or background. However, no theoretician should leave his methods and techniques in the hands of the practitioners without enough empirical evidence that it will work in several defined environments.