In search of efficiency—concurrent concept elaboration and improvement

In an aim to increase competitiveness, efficiency is coming more and more into focus in product development. In this article, the author studies the view of efficiency in software development groups, and identifies a strong ubiquitous yet implicit strive for efficiency improvements. ‘Efficiency’ appears a somewhat elusive, omnipresent concept, which is not explicitly talked about, but is often implicitly alluded to. How can software developers become more efficient if they do not know what this means? The author proposes a change strategy that concurrently furthers the local understanding and meaning of efficiency and improves actual efficiency, through a collaborative, participative change program. Conceptions of efficiency are claimed to moderate efficiency as well as learning processes. Four different conceptions of efficiency are identified.