Toward a Social Ontology for Conceptual Modeling

Conceptual modeling is fundamental to information systems requirements engineering. Systems analysts and designers use the constructs and methods of a conceptual modeling formalism to represent, communicate, and validate the contents, capabilities, and constraints of an envisioned information system within its organizational context. The value of such a representation is measured by the degree to which it facilitates a shared understanding among all stakeholders of (1) the organizational information requirements and (2) the ability of the envisioned information system to meet them [Wand and Weber, 2002]. We propose using the social ontology developed by John Searle [1995, 2006, 2010] as the basis for conceptual modeling and present a meta-model based on that ontology