Systems development is such a complex and dynamic process that those involved in it can neglect or even ignore the issue of the system’s usability. Like most complex processes, systems development requires several actors to collaborate and coordinate several more or less dependent activities. Most models of systems development do not capture the dynamics of complex systems development; in particular, they often ignore the complexity of inter-organizational negotiations and responsibilities. Given these problems, we suggest that metaphors present an alternative approach for analyzing these processes. In this paper we use the metaphor of a football game to visualize how usability is handled and understood by a large Swedish governmental organization that specializes in complex systems procurement. Our point of departure was 25 interviews with several stakeholders, both outside and inside the organization. In our first analysis, we saw actors in the procurement process pass usability issues on to each other. This led us to conduct a metaphorical analysis, which makes it possible to see things from a new perspective. The football metaphor highlights how actors in two organizations—the procurer and the developer—cooperate as well as compete. In addition to analyzing structural aspects, such as rules and tactics, 22 that govern the systems development process, we assign and discuss relevant roles to correspond with those in a football game. The approach illustrates how usability is systematically neglected.