The practice of applying rigid software development rules has killed creativity as processes and tools take precedence over technical solutions and client satisfaction. A key role in developing software is played by the intellectual resources of project teams, i.e. their knowledge. The knowledge used to produce software may be either open or hidden. In order to manage software development effectively, advantage needs to be taken of the knowledge held by each design team member. Two distinctive knowledge management strategies are available for managing software development. These are the knowledge codification strategy and the knowledge personalization strategy. The knowledge codification strategy requires the use of expensive technology to apply CASE tools. Based on two decades of experience in managing IT projects, we have grown somewhat critical of the use of CASE tools. Our experience in managing IT projects shows that a strategy of knowledge personalization in software development helps improve designer knowledge in a given business field and boosts their productivity.

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The experience gathered in the course of many IT projects ranging from the simplest to the very complex, shows that the key adverse factors affecting the productivity of project teams are: the stress that accompanies designers in the development and implementation of IT projects, poor use of the intellectual capacities of individual project team members, excessive focus on design support tools at the expense of project quality, excessive adherence to a specific method of IT project management, the pressures of time and budget restraints on projects where labor intensity has been underestimated. According to many IT project managers, the treating of people as “spare parts” often jeopardizes project outcome. Managers commonly forget the simple fact that the intellect and personalities of every employee are different and that often neglected in accomplishing project goals by not helping individual staff members to achieve personal satisfaction. My practice shows that the choice of a design method has little effect on design productivity and often reduces it where the system needs continuous customization to ever new client requirements and restrict the operating freedom on individual projects contributing to less innovative outcomes.