This study focuses on the design, construction and evaluation of methods, techniques and support tools for information systems development. It is felt that the key solution to optimal method construction lies in the understanding of both methodological/technical issues as well as organizational/behavioural isses. The book addresses a number of important topics, including: method representation formalisms; meta-modelling; situational methods; contingency approaches; system development practices of method engineering; terminology and reference models; ontologies; usability and experience reports; and organizational support and impact. This book contains the selected proceedings of the "International Conference on Principles of Method Construction and Tool Support", sponsored by the International Federation for Information Processing, and held in Atlanta, USA, in August 1996.