In this paper we consider the issue of providing method support for evaluation of CASE tools. The importance of this issue is indicated by the high percentage of CASE tools which are purchased but rarely or never used. We consider the issue of CASE evaluation, and report on an extensive study of related literature, the goal of which was to identify key issues in developing reliable frameworks for evaluation. A number of weaknesses were found in available method support for evaluation where the goal was successful adoption. These weaknesses are highlighted in the paper. The claims for a recently proposed method in this area are then analysed for impact in each of the highlighted areas. It is found that the qualitative approach used in the method, and its emphasis on iterative, holistic refinement, offer significant methodological advantage.
In The Eighth International Conference - Information Systems Development ISD'99: Methods & Tools Theory & Practice, Boise, Idaho, 11th-13th August 1999 (accepted for publication). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4261-2_11
HS-IDA-TR-98-009