The design of information systems that can respond effectively and rapidly to change at low cost

The paper is based on the experience gained by the author during the past thirty years while seeking to implement information systems in the face of some severe limitations in time and resources. During this period the shortcomings of many of the conventional methodologies were identified. These are examined in the first part of the paper. The second part concentrates on the development of two complementary methods 'Simple Architectures and Models' (SAM) and 'Mixed Open Methodology' (MOM) that have overcome these limitations and have proved to be durable in the face of technological advances. These methods also expose the shortcomings of not only the specialist but also the more recently advocated hybrid manager; and they illustrate the need for a composer-conductor wielding the baton of a 'poor, determined questioning, thinking, simple, selective, mixer'.