Reconciling Variance and Process Strategies for Studying Information System Development

Information systems researchers commonly describe variance and process strategies for studying information system development (ISD) as alternatives that may be difficult to reconcile. In this paper, we argue that it is possible to reconcile these two strategies, despite the clear differences that exist between them. Some possible methods of combining variance and process strategies are examined, the most powerful of which jointly applies these strategies while maintaining their distinct forms. This method is used in this paper, with variance strategy being implemented using levels of participation of key actors and process strategy being implemented using sequences of actions. Based on empirical analysis of 50 ISD projects, five clusters of ISD processes are examined. Results show that projects that are similar based on levels of participation are also similar based on event sequences, thus indicating that variance and process strategies can be reconciled. The insights that variance strategy, process strategy, and joint application provide into each cluster are examined.