This paper focuses on two contemporary problems in IS development: those of choosing which IS methodology to use (if any), and the practical problems related to using an IS methodology whilst intervening in modern, complex, turbulent organizations. As IS practitioners must, increasingly, intervene in such organizations, it is argued that an important issue for IS research is whether they choose to do so in (what will be characterized as) an authentic manner. The epistemological consequences of authentic intervention are then explored, and it is concluded that many approaches to IS development are authentically possible and practical, although softer approaches have always emphasized the human dimension of IS development. Although the terms ‘relevance' and ‘rigor' are used herein they are not used in quite the same sense as they are used in the IS research debate concerning relevance and rigor.