Embedded System Development Process: A Quest from Innovation to Adaption

This paper describes the findings of a case study that explores the improvisation and bricolage in a structured process management environment. The research focuses on software developers in an embedded system development project. This investigation adopts an interpretive approach, which involves the collection and analysis of qualitative data. The research offers insights into a range of dimensions, levels, and paradoxes of improvisation and bricolage that can be observed during a system development in a structured process environment. Furthermore, the paper addresses the question of how the structured process environment influences these dimensions, levels, and paradoxes. We observed various degrees of bricolage and improvisation with the movement of highly innovative practices towards a development phase of adaptive practices. This paper points out the value of structured processes as a scaffolding for improvisational and bricolage techniques and practices. The paper claims that within a turbulent environment, improvised and bricolage practices need pieces of structured processes reciprocity.