W E L C O M E

1. W E L C O M E

2. Griffith University School Of Computing and Information Technology CIT 6116 – Advanced Topics in Information Systems presented by Ovidiu S. Noran http://www.cit.gu.edu.au/~noran Research Design for PhD Thesis: Enterprise Reference Architectures and Modelling Frameworks

3. PhD Research Design ’Contents’ • Introduction • Theoretical Framework • Research Approach & Strategy • Research Methods • Research Tools • Conclusion

4. PhD Research Design ’Contents’ • Introduction • Theoretical Framework • Research Approach & Strategy • Research Methods • Research Tools • Conclusion

5. ’The Rich Picture’

6. PhD Research Design ’Introduction’ Enterprise Integration and Modelling (review). • better understand business structure, preserve and reuse the knowledge; • operate the business (executable models) • ultimate purpose: change process ( EM = ontology of change) • EI uses the EM to enable and execute the change process. Research Question. • meta-methodology costruction possible ? • formalisations of theoretical framework and mapping achievable ? • would they support creation of the meta-methodology ?

7. PhD Research Design ’Contents’ • Introduction • Theoretical Framework • Research Approach & Strategy • Research Methodologies • Research Tools • Conclusion

8. PhD Research Design ’Theoretical Framework’ Theoretical Framework. • adopt the GERAM - a toolkit for creation & maintenance of enterprises for their entire life history. Specifies only reqs. for models, methods, tools. • expressive enough to hold all other modelling frameworks. • may be used as a checklist for completeness / overlaps. • main component: GERA – a life cycle architecture • designed along three main dimensions: view (F I R O), instantiation, life cycle. • specialisation (gradual) vs. instantiation (one-step)

9. ’GERAM’

10. ’GERA’

11. PhD Research Design ’Contents’ • Introduction • Theoretical Framework • Research Approach & Strategy • Research Methods • Research Tools • Conclusion

12. PhD Research Design ’Research Approach’ Action Research

13. PhD Research Design ’Research Strategy’

14. PhD Research Design ’Research Assumptions’ Research Approach. • Action Research as a research approach (including other research methods) • Define F (GERAM), A (theoretical), P (real-world), MR(research - AR), MPS(problem-solving - apply meta-methodology) Research Strategy. • Prepare AR: Research question, lit review, restate question, adopt theory • Enter AR cycle: conceptual development, lab testing (iterate ?), field testing, reflection / theory extension, iterate if necessary. • Exit AR cycle: (condition = valid model) final reflections, state findings, disseminate results, define further research.

15. PhD Research Design ’Contents’ • Introduction • Theoretical Framework • Research Approach & Strategy • Research Methods • Research Tools • Conclusion

16. PhD Research Design ’Research Methodologies’ Research Methods. • Accepted: action research (approach), conceptual development, descriptive / interpretive, laboratory / field experimentation, subjective / argumentative (controversial). • Potential: case study, ethnography (critical), simulation, theorem proof. • Rejected: survey, game / role playing, forecasting / futures research, longitudinal (multimethod, needs extensive duration). Use of Data. • Mainly secondary data at this stage - must assess source, original purposes, methods used. Potentially confidential info - involves trust building.

17. PhD Research Design ’Contents’ • Introduction • Theoretical Framework • Research Approach & Strategy • Research Methods • Research Tools • Conclusion

18. PhD Research Design ’Research Tools’ General Tools. Tools for research design: e.g. Methodologist’s Toolchest Tools for qualitative: NUD*IST (index, theory bld), HyperResearch (visual, media) Tools for quantitative: SphinxSurvey, GBStat (not likely to be currently used) Tools for mixed: e.g. C-I-Said, Code-A-Text (text / charts / media analysis) Enterprise Modelling Tools. Large number but no complete tool available (must use combination). Methodology fragmentation. Poor theoretical support (weak underlying semantics). No robust rules on what tools to involve, for which problem (adressed by the current meta-methodology being designed) Initially involve ERWin/BPWin, METIS, FirstStep, SystemArchitect, KBSI.

19. PhD Research Design ’Contents’ • Introduction • Theoretical Framework • Research Approach & Strategy • Research Methods • Research Tools • Conclusion

20. PhD Research Design ’Conclusion’ Present Position. The analyst is a facilitator but also a systems expert, guided by an interpretivist (social-relativist) paradigm and an anti-positivistic stance. The theoretical framework is GERAM – a generic requirements framework. The research approach adopted: reflective / iterative action research containing descriptive / interpretive, conceptual development, lab / field test, subjective / argumentative (followed by testing). The researcher must identify essential components of AR and own biases and assumptions; must follow AR ‘prepare - enter - reflect / cycle - exit’ paradigm. Final Note. Research is a dynamic entity with its own life cycle, requiring different research methods for different phases / views. It may itself be modelled and maintained by GERAM.

21. T H E E N D