Current utilization of CASE technology: lessons from the field

Since its inception, CASE (computer‐aided software engineering) tools have been hailed as the “silver bullet” of applications development. Although these tools have failed to live up to such an advance billing (as do most “fix‐all” solutions), these products remain a viable option for practitioners of modern applications development. This study comments on the use of CASE in modern IS installations, using the results of an in‐depth survey completed by 226 IS professionals from over 30 Fortune 500‐type companies. First, the study identifies the most popular features possessed by respondents’ CASE toolsets. Next, we comment on the “gap” perceived to exist between CASE features actually possessed, and those features needed by these professionals in the performance of their job duties. Finally, implications for practice and research are presented.