Abstract:
Apparent failures in IS development projects are often attributed to mistranslations of requirements as the
system is developed, to language incompatibility between users and technical experts. Many development
methodologies claim to overcome this misunderstanding through forcing acceptance of a common language or
through formalising the translation process, but we claim that this merely covers up the problem. Based on
constructivist models of communication and a case study we advocate techniques which will keep
misunderstandings visible thoughout the life of an information system.
