Changing perceptions of CASE technology

The level to which CASE technology has been successfully deployed in IS and software development organisations has been at best variable. Much has been written about an apparent mismatch between user expectations of the technology and the products which are developed for the growing marketplace. In this paper we explore how this tension has developed over time, with the aim of identifying and characterising the major factors contributing to it. We identify three primary themes: volatility and plurality in the marketplace; the close relationship between tools and development methods; and the context sensitivity of feature assessment. By exploring the tension and developing these themes we hope to further the debate on how to improve evaluation of CASE prior to adoption.