Do structured development methods improve productivity on software maintenance projects?

Proponents of structured systems development methods have always maintained that the use of these methods would require more time during the development phases of a software system's life cycle. They have claimed that the value of these techniques is that they reduce the effort required to maintain these systems over time. These claims have been supported largely with anecdotal evidence and intuitive perception. This article reports the results of an attempt to empirically test these claims. No evidence could be found to support the claims. Instead, the findings of the study suggest there is no advantage to using enforced structured methodologies. Other research into this question is cited to reinforce the findings of the study.