Method rationale in method engineering

In this paper we discuss the need to integrate formal metamodels with an informal method rationale. Like design rationale method rationale establishes a systematic and organized trace of method specifications and their maintenance, and maintains knowledge of the method use context and its history. The need for method rationale is based on our observations of the role of method knowledge in software organizations and the failure to introduce "one-shot" method engineering initiatives. The paper demonstrates also how method rationale can be used to share knowledge of method use between method users and engineers, to support method engineers to understand the evolution of the method base, and to improve learning about systems development within a community of designers.