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COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM 178 next deadline or the next deliverable. RAD methodologies are clearly needed to produce software quickly, and a compressed development life cycle requires powerful RAD tools. But knowledge of how to incorporate RAD tools into an IS shop’s tool kit and the longterm implications of current usage patterns of RAD is woefully limited. Systems developers are assumed to be receptive to the new tools; indeed, the prevailing view amongst IS management appears to be “If we buy it, they will come.” But mandating technology usage has long been recognized as an inappropriate management tactic for obtaining buy-in and commitment from systems developers. Management must identify the types of developers more likely to respond positively to RAD. Another perhaps unsubstantiated claim of RAD technology is its ability to build higher quality systems that are more maintainable …