Life cycle concept considered harmful

The authors were among the participants at an invi-tational conference held in September of 1980 at the Geor-gia State Umiversity to study the topic "Systems Analysis and Design: A Plan for the 80's."(3) We found the conference and workshop stimulating and useful, and we support many of its processes and conclusions. However, we came to the meeting unprepared for the stultifying effect of the organizers' decision to structure the group's work around the concept of a system development life cycle. The life cycle concept as promulgated in preconfer-once mailings was that systems development consists of the following ten steps: i. Organizational analysis 2. Systems evaluation 3. Feasibility analysis 4. Project plan 5. Logical design (produces general design specifications) The body of this paper is printed in the report under the title "A Minority Dissenting Position."