How Conceptual Modeling Is Used

Conceptual models play an increasingly important role for business process engineering, information systems development, and customizing of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Despite the widespread interest in conceptual modeling, relatively little is known to date on the level and nature of conceptual modeling use in practice. Therefore our study investigates how practitioners use conceptual modeling. In particular, we address the following three key questions: To what extent do practitioners use conceptual modeling techniques and tools? How relevant is conceptual modeling for certain purposes? Are there barriers and success factors in using conceptual modeling? This paper informs information systems professionals about recent trends in the area of conceptual modeling. The results of our study should be considered when developing syllabuses for modeling courses as well as when judging the relevance of various research streams in the area of conceptual modeling

Construct redundancy in process modelling grammars: Improving the explanatory power of ontological analysis

Conceptual modelling supports developers and users of information systems in areas of documentation, analysis or system redesign. The ongoing interest in the modelling of business processes has led to a variety of different grammars, raising the question of the quality of these grammars for modelling. An established way of evaluating the quality of a modelling grammar is by means of an ontological analysis, which can determine the extent to which grammars contain construct deficit, overload, excess or redundancy. While several studies have shown the relevance of most of these criteria, predictions about construct redundancy have yielded inconsistent results in the past, with some studies suggesting that redundancy may even be beneficial for modelling in practice. In this paper we seek to contribute to clarifying the concept of construct redundancy by introducing a revision to the ontological analysis method. Based on the concept of inheritance we propose an approach that distinguishes between specialized and distinct construct redundancy. We demonstrate the potential explanatory power of the revised method by reviewing and clarifying previous results found in the literature

Applying Grounded Theory to Conceptual Data Modeling: Effects of Constant Comparative Method

This article presents an experimental design and the pilot experiment results of applying grounded theory to conceptual datamodeling. The objective of this study is to develop a procedural method for concept discovery, which is essential in datamodeling. The research focuses on addressing the lack of procedural methods for understanding domain knowledge by datamodeler. The key idea of this article is that conceptual modeling can be strengthened by applying a constant comparativemethod of coding and analysis, which has been used to discover concepts in the social sciences. This article contributes newknowledge about the effects of applying interdisciplinary concept discovery in the context of conceptual data modeling. Theresults of the pilot experiment show that the proposed approach would have positive results

Work System Modeling Method with Different Levels of Specificity and Rigor for Different Stakeholder Purposes

This paper proposes a modeling method (the work system modeling method - WSMM) that addresses key issues related to enterprise and process modeling. Those issues lead to modeling method requirements that call for relaxing common assumptions about the nature of modeling methods and related modeling languages and metamodels. A summary of work system theory (WST)and the work system method (WSM) provides background for understanding WSMM. A design space for modeling positions most applications of WSM in relation to seven purposes of modeling that call for successively more formal approaches. WSMM is presented in relation to the seven purposes, thereby extending WSM in new directions. A final section summarizes how WSMM addresses the issues and requirements from the introduction, explains how coherence is maintained within WSMM, and identifies areas for future research

Applying Facets of Work as a Source of Knowledge and Insight for Requirements Determination

This conceptual contribution explains how the idea of “facets of work” can bring more knowledge and richer, more evocative ideas to the development of system requirements in organizational settings. Focusing on facets of work potentially provides useful guidance without requiring unnecessary details, precision, and notation. A background section summarizes how the current research emerged from partial overlaps between separate research efforts. Table 1 identifies 18 facets of work. Five other tables look at a subset of the facets to illustrate concepts associated with specific facets, common success factors and tradeoffs, sub-facets and other topics. Use of the same subset of the facets to classify quotations from a case study demonstrates the broad relevance of the approach

Business Process Management, Social Network Analysis and Knowledge Management: A Triangulation of Sorts?

As its name suggests, Business Process Management seeks to manage the processes companies typically undertake on a day to day basis. In line with many management techniques, improvements can made through analysing at varying granularity how processes are actually undertaken compared to how management may consider they are being accomplished and vice versa. One innovative way Business Process Management may be improved is through the use of Social Network Analysis to observe actual working relationships among employees. This latter technique permits the workflow manager specifically to consider how well matched employees are to their workflow and as a result of this, we have a means of either reconstructing workflows or alternatively employee practices. A small research-in-progress case study is presented illustrating how these principles may be applied in practice. Overall one may consider such improvements as aiding in the knowledge management of the organization as a whole

A proposed conceptual basis for mode 2 business and management research and development projects based on design science research principles

Due to progressing digitalisation and automatisation, the disciplines of Information Systems and Business / Management will increasingly be merging. It is assumed, therefore, that in Business and Management Research (BMR), there will be a greater demand for artefacts such as conceptual models, particularly in collaborative, Mode 2 research and development projects. Such endeavours require adequate conceptual frameworks, catering for diverse, creative and iterative steps including complementary (multi-)method application in order to handle complexity, uncertainty, user engagement and differing assumptions in a fast-paced environment. They need to be able to do this while rigorously addressing questions in their field or organisation of professionals. Design Science Research (DSR) has been suggested as an suitable approach to fulfil these needs. While numerous examples of applying DSR principles have been reported with respect to Information Systems Research (ISR), the application in BMR has so far been rather modest. This article presents a conceptual basis of DSR principles to apply in Mode 2 BMR artefact development projects, accompanied by a framework for a systematic quality evaluation. By doing so, the article contributes to the advancement of the emerging convergence of BMR and ISR by presenting guidelines embracing iterative and systematic procedures for BMR and ISR researchers

Towards a Configurative Publication Schema for Design Science Research

Design science research (DSR) has matured and gained acceptance as an appropriate information systems research method. Despite the increasing number of DSR publications there is still no common sense and no comprehensive guidance how to present DSR in scientific literature. Therefore, this paper investigates the potential of a configurative DSR publication schema by means of a reference model allowing the deduction of concrete publication schemas. These schemas provide more detailed advice depending on the particular research context, such as the intended artifact type, the evaluation method, or the knowledge contribution type. By identifying configuration parameters (through an investigation of 13 DSR meta-analysis papers) and common configurations (through a meta-analysis of 52 DSR journal publications) we lay the foundations for a configurative reference model which can be adapted to provide detailed guidance in concrete DSR publication situations for both authors and reviewers. A detailed example sketches the future artifact

A Framework Proposal to Evaluate Conceptual Models Framing Wicked Managerial Concepts

Visual and collaborative canvases named visual inquiry tools have emerged as a powerful design science research (DSR) artefact to address wicked managerial problems. According to the design theory for visual inquiry tools, designing such a tool entails the development of a particular type of conceptual model, namely a parsimonious and simple conceptual model. Although the theory lists design principles that the conceptual model must abide by, it unfortunately remains silent regarding how one evaluates it in regard to them. Given that, coupled with the fundamental position evaluation holds in DSR, this research paper builds on existing prescriptive knowledge to develop a framework that supports designers in the evaluation of their conceptual model. The framework is composed of four evaluands, evaluation criteria, and guiding questions which depict, at a high-level, the questions to ask to evaluate the conceptual model. The framework is then applied to evaluate an existing conceptual model