Commentary Gordon B. Davis On Information Systems To Buy, B

When considering a new information systems application, an organization should consider purchasing an application package system from a vendor and customizing it. Packages form the basis for varying the traditional development life cycle for computer applications by eliminating the need for some phases of the cycle. However, there are some dangers in using the package approach, including: 1. high tailoring costs, 2. packages that are too big, and 3. insufficient support. There are 3 conditions under which the use of the package approach to development can be effective: 1. In a fairly standard data processing application, when the availability of many packages and the possibility of reduced costs is the major factor. 2. In an application for which the company lacks expertise to define its requirements, the package becomes the basis for the core requirements. 3. In an application with high development risks, the package approach can be used to control these risks.