A Data/Knowledge Paradigm for the Modeling and Design of Operation Support Systems

1. A Data/Knowledge Paradigm for the Modeling and Design of Operation Support Systems Vijay K. Vaishnavi, Gray C. Buchanan, and William L. Kuechler Jr. IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering (1997) Gun-woong Lee

2. The Key Issues and Findings • Large and complex operations environments • Require intelligent and dynamic Operations Support Systems • Need for a new class of data/knowledge presentation for designing such OSSs • What are the key attributes of OSS?? • Why existing data/knowledge paradigms are not suitable for developing OSS? • Are the proposed key features of SOL and the underlying paradigms applicable in practice?

3. Key Findings • Design artifacts • Methods: Smart Object paradigms • Smart Object paradigm incorporates the strengthens of existing paradigms (models). • Semantic data models, Objected Oriented design models, AI models, Multilevel control architectures, and so on. • Instantiations • Smart Object Language (a metamodel) • Instantiation of the Paradigm • SOL construct support OSS attributes • Operations Support Systems • Prototype for a nuclear power plant • Illustration of key features of SOL and underlying paradigm

4. Weaknesses and Extensions • Presentation of Paper • Poorly written manuscript • Typos, grammatical errors, and redundancy • Use of acronyms without (before) definitions (BNF, LIFO, OOP…) • Lack of explanation for the figures • Less attention from IS researchers • Only 18 citations (actually, 3 IS paper • Design Evaluation • Applicability in a larger OSS • Alternative evaluation methods • Simulation • Comparison between the Smart Object paradigm and existing paradigms

5. Evaluation and Extension • Seven Design- Science Research Guideline [Hevner et al., 2004] • Design as an Artifact: Providing viable artifacts (methods & instantiations) • Problem Relevance: Developing Smart Object paradigm for OSS • Research Rigor: theoretical background(?), Smart Object paradigm Incorporates the strengthens of existing paradigms (models) in various disciplines. • Design as a Search Process: No iterative search process for desired artifacts • Design Evaluation: Evaluation based on a prototype OSS in a nuclear plan • Research Contribution: developed Smart Object paradigm allows researchers to model, design, and develop OSS. • Research Communication: produced artifacts can be beneficial to researchers and practitioners.

6. Evaluation and Discussion • Eight Components of an IS Design Theory • Purpose and Scope: developing Smart object paradigm for OSS • Constructs: Attributes for OSS such as executable nature and meta-control capability • Principles of Form and Function: the proposed Smart Object paradigm provides a new conceptualization for the modeling, design, and development for OSS. • Artifact Mutability: OSS is intelligent and dynamic (?) • Testable Propositions: Claim that this paradigm can be adoptable to other complex and large operations environments • Justificatory Knowledge: Smart Object paradigm incorporates existing paradigms (models) • Principles of Implementation: description of implementation of SOL and OSS • Expository Instantiation: application of SOL in a nuclear power plan