Elmar J. Sinz

Memorandum on design-oriented information systems research

Information Systems Research (“Wirtschaftsinformatik”) basically follows two research approaches: the behavioristic approach and the design-oriented approach. In this memorandum, 10 authors propose principles of design-oriented information systems research. Moreover, the memorandum is supported by 111 full professors from the German-speaking scientific community, who with their signature advocate the principles specified therein.

SOM Modeling of Business Systems

SOM is an object-oriented methodology for comprehensive and integrated modeling of business systems. It is based on a framework consisting of the layers business plan, business process model, and business application system as well as views on these layers focusing on specific aspects. This contribution presents the SOM language for business process modeling and shows how business application systems can be linked to business process models. The language uses concepts of systems theory and is based on the notions of business object, business transaction, task, event, and service. Business objects are coordinated by feedback control or by negotiation. Decomposition rules allow a stepwise refinement of a business process model. The contribution includes a detailed example to illustrate the methodology.

Kopplungsarchitekturen zur überbetrieblichen Integration von Anwendungssystemen und ihre Realisierung mit SAP R/3

Business-to-business processes require an inter-company integration of the application systems supporting these business processes. Integration is based on inter-company couplings of application systems, which are specified in coupling architectures. The necessity of coupling of application systems arises from relationships between business tasks which are to be supported by these application systems. Starting with relevant relationships between business tasks, three classes of coupling architectures are identified and illustrated by concrete instances. It is investigated to which extent coupling mechanisms as provided by SAP R/3 are suitable for an implementation of these coupling architectures.

Multi-Layered Development of Business Process Models and Distributed Business Application Systems - An Object-Oriented Approach -

The paper presents a comprehensive and integrated approach for business process modeling and for the specification of distributed business application systems. The approach is based on a framework of business systems which consists of three layers: (1) business process model, (2) business application systems, and (3) computing systems. This framework is used to manage the complexity of a business system and to address the different actors and abstractions of actors within a business system (e.g. persons and machines, application systems, and computing systems). The linkage of the layer of business application systems to both the layers of business processes and computing systems helps to specify the distribution of business application systems in a natural way. Object-oriented concepts are used as universal enabling techniques.

Tool-Based Business Process Modeling Using the SOM Approach

Business processes play an important role in analyzing and designing a companys behaviour and organization. Modeling business processes is an integral part of the Semantic Object Model (SOM). The paper shows the basic concepts of business process modeling using the SOM approach and presents the design goals and architecture of an accompanying tool.

The Research Field “Modeling Business Information Systems”

The research field “Modeling business information systems” has a long tradition in the scientific discipline of Business and Information Systems Engineering (BISE). The present paper highlights research shaping the research field, discusses challenges impairing the development of the research field in the coming years, and outlines elements of a future research agenda.

Flexible Organizations Through Object-oriented and Transaction-oriented Information Systems

Informationssysteme stellen fur flexible Organisationen einen kritischen Erfolgsfaktor dar. Ausgehend von Verhaltens- und Strukturmerkmalen flexibler Organisationen fuhrt der Beitrag einen Architekturrahmen fur die Spezifikation flexibler Organisationen ein. Dieser Rahmen unterscheidet Modellschichten fur (1) Unternehmensplan, (2) Geschaftsprozesse und (3) Personal sowie maschinelle Ressourcen zur Unterstutzung von Geschaftsprozessen. Alle drei Schichten erweisen sich als kritisch fur flexible Organisationen. Der Beitrag konzentriert sich auf die Schichten (2) und (3), wobei speziell das Potential von Verteilung und Visualisierung untersucht wird. Die beiden Schichten werden als verteilte Systeme spezifiziert und untereinander durch flexible Beziehungen verknupft. Als grundlegender Modellierungsansatz wird das objektorientierte Konzept autonomer, lose gekoppelter Komponenten genutzt, welche auf der Basis transaktionsorientierter Koordinationsmechanismen kooperieren/Aufbauend auf dem Ansatz, eine flexible Organisation als System virtueller Geschaftsprozesse zu begrunden, wird die Rolle betrieblicher Informationssysteme in flexiblen Organisationen untersucht. Schlieslich werden einige Konzepte fur die automatisierten Subsysteme eines Informationssystems, die betrieblichen Anwendungssysteme, betrachtet. Im Mittelpunkt des Beitrags steht die Frage: Wie konnen objekt- und transaktionsorientierte Informationssysteme zur Gestaltung flexibler Organisationen beitragen?

Tool Support for the Semantic Object Model

This chapter introduces tool support for the semantic object model (SOM). The conceptual design of a multi-view modeling tool is presented after describing the core concepts of the SOM method and laying the corresponding methodological foundation. The chapter foremost addresses the modeling enthusiast, interested in how to utilize the SOM method with the ADOxx modeling tool.

Model-driven Derivation of BPMN Workflow Schemata from SOM Business Process Models

The Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) has emerged as one of the dominant graphical modelling languages for processes in recent years. Its usage is both for conceptual workflow modelling and for specification of executable workflow schemata. Nevertheless BPMN seems to be less suitable for modelling of business processes. Business process models describe production and delivery as well as control of goods and services according to the goals of an enterprise (task level). These characteristics are not covered explicitly by BPMN. In contrast, workflow schemata specify solution procedures for the execution of business tasks (actor level). In this paper a two-stage modelling approach is proposed in order to overcome the semantic gap between business process models and workflow schemata: In a first step a business process model according to the Semantic Object Model (SOM) is created and stepwise refined. In a second step a BPMN workflow schema is derived from an adequately refined business process model according to a metamodel-based schema transformation. The modelling approach is illustrated using the case study of an online auction house.

Bridging the Gap from a Multi-View Modelling Method to the Design of a Multi-View Modelling Tool

Effectiveness of comprehensive modelling methods considerably benefits by the availability of appropriate tool support. However, there is a significant semantic gap between a multi-view modelling method and the design of a corresponding modelling tool. The paper at hand contributes to bridge that gap by means of explicitly focusing the early steps in the design process of a modelling tool. The approach presented here comprises three steps: Starting with (1) a modelling scenario, which centres the human modeller, (2) a multi-view modelling principle and use cases of the tool are derived and (3) the conceptual design of a multi-view modelling tool is specified. The approach is introduced in an abstract manner before it is applied to a concrete scenario. This scenario is outlined for the Semantic Object Model (SOM) business process modelling method, depicting a straight way to the design of an appropriate multi-view modelling tool.