Method integration: the need for a learning perspective

TLDR

In many situations there is a need to integrate different methods, and learning aspects should be addressed explicitly. The paper presents procedures and experiences from an R&D project integrating two development methods. The authors used a research and development project to integrate two development methods, documenting procedures and experiences. Initial communication problems hindered integrative redesign, but were resolved by applying an explicit method theory for classification and reconstruction, leading to further tacit knowledge reconstruction and framing the integration as a learning process.

Abstract

In many situations there is a need to integrate different methods. In any method integration process, learning aspects should be addressed explicitly. The paper presents procedure and experiences from a research and development project concerning integration of two development methods. Communication problems obstruct the integrative method redesign initially. The communication problems are resolved through the use of an explicit method theory for classification and reconstruction of the method candidates. During application of the integrated method, further reconstruction of tacit method knowledge is performed. The method integration process also includes meta learning: formulation of the method integration as a learning process and modification of the applied method theory.