Abstract
Design research as an information systems research paradigm aims for the construction and evaluation of innovative artifacts for relevant problems. Design science reflects the design research process aiming to create standards for its rigor. Design science produces guidelines and metrics for the construction and evaluation of artifacts. In the field of method engineering design science established situational method engineering as a means to maintain rigor of artifacts, while at the same time integrating situation-specific adaptation mechanisms to increase applicability and thus improve relevance. The design science knowledge base on situational method engineering however lacks a systematic integration between the semantics of a method and the semantics of the situations it is adapted for. The work presented in this paper applies ontological meta modeling to address a better representation of the interdependencies between method elements and configuration rules in situational method configuration and demonstrates its exemplary application on an existing artifact.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
March, S.T., Smith, G.F.: Design and Natural Science Research on Information Technology. Decision Support Systems 15, 251–266 (1995)
Hevner, A.R., March, S.T., Park, J., Ram, S.: Design Science in Information Systems Research. MIS Quarterly 28, 75–105 (2004)
Winter, R.: Design Science Research in Europe. European Journal of Information Systems 17, 470–475 (2008)
Peffers, K., Tuunanen, T., Gengler, C.E., Rossi, M., Hui, W., Virtanen, V., Bragge, J.: The Design Science Research Process: A Model for Producing and Presenting Information Systems Research. In: Chatterjee, S., Hevner, A. (eds.) Proceedings of the First International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology (DESRIST 2006), pp. 83–106. Claremont Graduate University, Claremont (2006)
Cao, J., Crews, J.M., Lin, M., Deokar, A., Burgoon, J.K., Nunamaker, J.F.J.: Interactions Between System Evaluation and Theory Testing: A Demonstration of the Power of a Multifaceted Approach to Information Systems Research. Journal of Management Information Systems 22, 207–235 (2006)
Vaishnavi, V.K., Kuechler, W.J.: Design Science Research Methods and Patterns – Innovating Information and Communication Technology. Auerbach Publications, New York (2007)
Olle, W.T., Hagelstein, J., Macdonald, I.G., Rolland, C., Sol, H.G., van Assche, F.J.M., Verrijn-Stuart, A.A.: Information Systems Methodologies – A Framework for Understanding. Addison-Wesley, Wokingham (1988)
Becker, J., Janiesch, C., Pfeiffer, D.: Reuse Mechanisms in Situational Method Engineering. In: Ralyté, J., Brinkkemper, S., Henderson-Sellers, B. (eds.) Situational Method Engineering: Fundamentals and Experiences (ME 2007), vol. 244, pp. 79–93. Springer, Boston (2007)
Simon, H.A.: Administrative Behavior. Free Press, New York (1997)
Becker, J., Delfmann, P.: Reference Modeling. Efficient Information Systems Design Through Reuse of Information Models. Physica, Heidelberg (2007)
vom Brocke, J.: Design Principles for Reference Modeling: Reusing Information Models by Means of Aggregation, Specialization, Instantiation, and Analogy. In: Fettke, P., Loos, P. (eds.) Reference Modeling for Business Systems Analysis, pp. 47–75. Idea Group Publishing, Hershey (2007)
vom Brocke, J., Buddendick, C.: Reusable Conceptual Models. Requirements Based on the Design Science Research Paradigm. In: Chatterjee, S., Hevner, A. (eds.) Proceedings of the First International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology (DESRIST 2006), pp. 576–604. Claremont Graduate University, Claremont (2006)
Brinkkemper, S.: Method Engineering: Engineering of Information Systems Development Methods and Tools. Information and Software Technology 38, 275–280 (1996)
Karlsson, F., Wistrand, K.: Combining Method Engineering with Activity Theory - Theoretical Grounding of the Method Component Concept. European Journal of Information Systems 15, 82–90 (2006)
Wistrand, K., Karlsson, F.: Method Components - Rationale Revealed. In: Persson, A., Stirna, J. (eds.) CAiSE 2004. LNCS, vol. 3084, pp. 189–201. Springer, Heidelberg (2004)
Ralyté, J., Rolland, C.: An Assembly Process Model for Method Engineering. In: Dittrich, K.R., Geppert, A., Norrie, M.C. (eds.) CAiSE 2001. LNCS, vol. 2068, pp. 267–283. Springer, Heidelberg (2001)
Harmsen, A.F., Brinkkemper, S., Oei, H.: Situational Method Engineering for Information System Project Approaches. In: Verrijn-Stuart, A.A., Olle, T.W. (eds.) Proceedings of the IFIP 8.1 Working Conference on Methods and Associated Tools for the Information Systems Life Cycle, pp. 169–194. North-Holland, Amsterdam (1994)
Kurpjuweit, S., Winter, R.: Viewpoint-based Meta Model Engineering. In: Reichert, M., Strecker, S., Turowski, K. (eds.) Enterprise Modelling and Information Systems Architectures Concepts and Applications: Proceedings of the 2nd Int’l Workshop EMISA 2007, Köllen, Bonn, pp. 143–161 (2007)
Ågerfalk, P.J., Wistrand, K.: Systems Development Method Rationale - A Conceptual Framework for Analysis. In: Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems (ICEIS 2003), Angers, vol. 3, pp. 185–190 (2003)
Atkinson, C., Kühne, T.: Model-Driven Development: A Metamodeling Foundation. IEEE Software 20, 36–41 (2003)
Höfferer, P.: Achieving Business Process Model Interoperability Using Metamodels and Ontologies. In: Proceedings of the 15th European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS 2007), St. Gallen, pp. 1620–1631 (2007)
Fettke, P., Loos, P.: Classification of Reference Models: A Methodology and its Applications. Information Systems and e-Business Management 1, 35–53 (2003)
Schelp, J., Winter, R.: Method Engineering - Lessons Learned from Reference Modeling. In: Chatterjee, S., Hevner, A. (eds.) Proceedings of the First International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology (DESRIST 2006), pp. 555–575. Claremont Graduate University, Claremont (2006)
Winter, R., Gericke, A., Bucher, T.: Method versus Model – Two Sides of the Same Coin? In: Albani, A., Barijs, J., Dietz, J.L.G. (eds.) Advances in Enterprise Engineering III – 5th International Workshop, CIAO! 2009, and 5th International Workshop, EOMAS 2009, held at CAiSE 2009, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, June 2009, pp. 1–15. Springer, Heidelberg (2009)
Becker, J., Delfmann, P., Knackstedt, R.: Adaptive Reference Modeling: Integrating Configurative and Generic Adaptation Techniques for Information Models. In: Becker, J., Delfmann, P. (eds.) Reference Modeling – Efficient Information Systems Design Through Reuse of Information Models, pp. 27–58. Physica, Heidelberg (2007)
Gottschalk, F., van der Aalst, W.M.P., Jansen-Vullers, M.H.: Configurable Process Models – A Foundational Approach. In: Lehner, F., Nösekabel, H., Kleinschmidt, P. (eds.) Tagungsband der Multikonferenz Wirtschaftsinformatik 2006 (MKWI 2006). GITO, Passau (2006)
Knackstedt, R., Janiesch, C., Rieke, T.: Configuring Reference Models - An Integrated Approach for Transaction Processing and Decision Support. In: Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Enterprise Information Systems (ICEIS 2006), Paphos, Cyprus, pp. 135–143 (2006)
Becker, J., Algermissen, L., Delfmann, P., Niehaves, B.: Configurable Reference Process Models for Public Administrations. In: Anttiroiko, A.-V., Malkia, M. (eds.) Encyclopedia of Digital Government, pp. 220–223. Idea Group Publishing, Hershey (2006)
Bucher, T., Klesse, M., Kurpjuweit, S., Winter, R.: Situational Method Engineering – On the Differentiation of "Context" and "Project Type". In: Ralyté, J., Brinkkemper, S., Henderson-Sellers, B. (eds.) Situational Method Engineering - Fundamentals and Experiences, vol. 244, pp. 33–48. Springer, Boston (2007)
Bucher, T., Winter, R.: Dissemination and Importance of the “Method” Artifact in the Context of Design Research for Information Systems. In: Vaishnavi, V.K., Baskerville, R. (eds.) Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology (DESRIST 2008), pp. 39–59. Georgia State University, Atlanta (2008)
Becker, J., Knackstedt, R., Pfeiffer, D., Janiesch, C.: Configurative Method Engineering - On the Applicability of Reference Modeling Mechanisms in Method Engineering. In: Proceedings of the 13th Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS 2007), Keystone, CO, pp. 1–12 (2007)
Gutzwiller, T.A.: Das CC RIM-Referenzmodell für den Entwurf von betrieblichen, transaktionsorientierten Informationssystemen. Physica, Heidelberg (1994)
Karlsson, F., Ågerfalk, P.J.: Method Configuration: Adapting to Situational Characteristics while Creating Reusable Assets. Information and Software Technology 46, 619–633 (2004)
Punter, T., Lemmen, K.: The MEMA-Model: Towards a New Approach for Method Engineering. Information and Software Technology 38, 295–305 (1996)
Kumar, K., Welke, R.J.: Methodology Engineering - A Proposal for Situation-Specific Methodology Construction. In: Cotterman, W.W., Senn, J.A. (eds.) Challenges and Strategies for Research in Systems Development, pp. 257–269. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester (1992)
Ralyté, J., Deneckère, R., Rolland, C.: Towards a Generic Model for Situational Method Engineering. In: Eder, J., Missikoff, M. (eds.) CAiSE 2003. LNCS, vol. 2681, pp. 95–110. Springer, Heidelberg (2003)
Bajec, M., Vavpotič, D., Krisper, M.: Practice-Driven Approach for Creating Project-Specific Software Development Methods. Information and Software Technology 49, 345–365 (2007)
Braun, C., Wortmann, F., Hafner, M., Winter, R.: Method Construction – A Core Approach to Organizational Engineering. In: Proceedings of the 20th Annual ACM Symposium on Applied Computing (SAC 2005), Santa Fe, NM, pp. 1295–1299 (2005)
Brinkkemper, S., Saeki, M., Harmsen, A.F.: Meta-Modelling Based Assembly Techniques for Situational Method Engineering. Information Systems 24, 209–228 (1999)
Rossi, M., Ramesh, B., Lyytinen, K., Tolvanen, J.-P.: Managing Evolutionary Method Engineering by Method Rationale. Journal of the Association for Information Systems 5, 356–391 (2004)
Hug, C., Front, A., Rieu, D., Henderson-Sellers, B.: A Method to Build Information Systems Engineering Process Metamodels. Journal of Systems and Software 82, 1730–1742 (2009)
Porter, M.E., Olmsted Teisberg, E.: Redefining Health Care – Creating Value-Based Competition on Results. Harvard Business School Press, Boston (2006)
Lippeveld, T., Sauerborn, R., Bodart, C. (eds.): Design and Implementation of Health Information Systems. World Health Organization, Geneva (2000)
Winter, R., Fischer, R.: Essential Layers, Artifacts, and Dependencies of Enterprise Architecture. Journal of Enterprise Architecture 3, 7–18 (2007)
Fitterer, R., Rohner, P.: Entwicklung eines Metamodells zur Modellierung der fachlichen Fähigkeiten der Softwarearchitektur in Krankenhäusern auf Grundlage von Stakeholder Concerns. In: Schumann, M., Kolbe, L.M., Breitner, M.H., Frerichs, A. (eds.) Tagungsband der Multikonferenz Wirtschaftsinformatik (MKWI) 2010, pp. 91–102. Universitätsverlag Göttingen, Göttingen (2010)
Porter, M.E.: Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. Free Press, New York (1985)
Aier, S., Winter, R.: Virtual Decoupling for IT/Business Alignment – Conceptual Foundations, Architecture Design and Implementation Example. Business & Information Systems Engineering 51, 150–163 (2009)
Winter, R.: An Architecture Model for Supporting Application Integration Decisions. In: Proceedings of the 11th European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS 2003), Naples, pp. 1–13 (2003)
Lorenzi, N.M., Novak, L.L., Weiss, J.B., Gadd, C.S., Unertl, K.M.: Crossing the Implementation Chasm: A Proposal for Bold Action. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 15, 290–296 (2008)
Mantzana, V., Themistocleous, M., Irani, Z., Morabito, V.: Identifying Healthcare Actors Involved in the Adoption of Information Systems. European Journal of Information Systems 16, 91–102 (2007)
Fitterer, R., Mettler, T., Rohner, P., Winter, R.: A Taxonomy for Multi-perspective ex ante Evaluation of the Value of Complementary Health Information Systems – Applying the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. In: Sprague, R.H. (ed.) To appear in Proceedings of the 43rd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS-43). IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos (2010)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Fitterer, R. (2010). Information Model-Based Configuration of Situational Methods – A Foundation for Design Research Applying Situational Method Configuration. In: Winter, R., Zhao, J.L., Aier, S. (eds) Global Perspectives on Design Science Research. DESRIST 2010. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 6105. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-13335-0_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-13335-0_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-13334-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-13335-0
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)