Seventy years of information systems development methodologies from early business computing to the Agile era: A two-part history. Part 1: From Pre to Early ISD methodology era: The emergence of ISD methodologies and their golden era (1880–1980).

This article provides a comprehensive historical analysis of information systems design (ISD) methodologies, tracing their evolution from the pre-methodology era (1880–1960) through the early ISD methodology era (1960–1980). It highlights key innovations such as Taylorism and scientific management, the invention of the general-purpose computer, the separation of application and system software, and the emergence of the first full public ISD methodologies like the systems development life cycle (SDLC) and the structured approach. The study emphasizes how ISD methodologies originated from practical needs to manage increasing IS complexity and costs, evolving alongside technological advances and organizational changes, while also noting the parallel development of alternative academic perspectives—including systems thinking, socio-technical, soft systems, and critical schools—that sought to broaden the conceptual foundations of ISD beyond the dominant engineering paradigm. This historical context aims to deepen understanding of current ISD methodologies' foundations and inform future improvements in the field.