  This paper reports the use of a qualitative methodology for conducting
longitudinal case study research on software development. We provide a detailed
description and explanation of appropriate methods of qualitative data
collection and analysis that can be utilized by other researchers in the
software engineering field. Our aim is to illustrate the utility of
longitudinal case study research, as a complement to existing methodologies for
studying software development, so as to enable the community to develop a
fuller and richer understanding of this complex, multi-dimensional phenomenon.
We discuss the insights gained and lessons learned from applying a longitudinal
qualitative approach to an empirical case study of a software development
project in a large multi-national organization. We evaluate the methodology
used to emphasize its strengths and to address the criticisms traditionally
made of qualitative research.
