Complexity, Requirements and Design

So why do we get worried about complex systems and what can we do about it? Complexity worries us because the world is unpredictable, large scale, multi component and densely interconnected. We perceived interactions as complex since we have difficulty in generalising over multiple events especially when events are poorly ordered. However interactional complexity is tractable by mathematical modeling as (misnamed) chaos theory has shown. Interactional complexity is being modeled with increasing accuracy by computational theories and simulations of physical and biological systems, viz. the IPCC world climate model. The second form is semantic complexity which implicates the difficulties we have in understanding intent of people. Here sadly there is no short term tractable solution. The Dagstuhl process of discussion leading to incremental (maybe radical) advances in understanding is one answer

Reconstruction of the international information technology standardisation process within a component-based design framework: A component based project setting perspective

This thesis critically examines the international information technology standardisation (IITS) process. The core substance of this process is projects that develop or revise one or a cluster of related published international standards. Projects span several years embracing construction of technical concepts; discussions; writing of draft standards and negotiations to establish international agreements on common solutions or requirements. An IIT standard, once published, is a binding technical specification on organisations and industries. Complexity of the IITS process is the phenomenon of interest. The argument is that, without reconstruction, complexity impedes successful project development. An open layered component-based design (CBD) approach lays the foundations of the reconstruction of the IITS process. This approach ensures reduction in sources of complexity to then, create solution options that can leverage performance capabilities. Prior theoretical and empirical research has excluded the IITS process. A theory- driven empirical research grounded in organization information processing theory (OIPT) therefore strengthens theoretical and methodological foundations to analytically challenge IITS process complexity. Five empirically examined projects yield a definition of the IITS process. Customised as a lens, OIPT provides an integrative study of the IITS process through four levels: environment, content, performance and reconstruction. OIPT criteria strengthen the theoretical explication of complexity, ambiguity, dynamism, variety and uncertainty. OIPT dimensions influence methodological assessment of solution options, reconstruction actions and design of an autonomous component-based project development setting. This thesis presents four contributions to the information systems (IS) community. First, Standards Documentation Setting (SDS) is the test case demonstrating the development of draft standards within an integrated CBD framework. Second, a life cycle of the reconstructed IITS process illustrates performance expectations. Third, an integrative solution framework demonstrates the reconstructed IITS process. Fourth, the evaluated research methodology addresses issues of inconsistency and dichotomy raised in IS literatures