Innovation of a design method (MoIST) that incorporates non-traditional 'soft' systems science into traditional 'hard' information systems design
Year: 2007
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The research explores ways of making the information systems development process \nmore effective. The thesis documents an original design method. This is the method \nof incorporating Systems thinking into Information Systems Design (MoIST). The \nthesis demonstrates that MoIST improves information systems design and adds to \nthe effective arsenal of methods that already exist. \nThe Computer Science literature has identified some weaknesses in the software \ndevelopment methodologies. These weaknesses include premature design decisions \ntaken before major requirements are known. Another is the dearth of options for \napplying Systems Science and information systems design techniques in a UMLbased \ncontext. It was found that these weaknesses sometimes resulted in software \nfailures. These findings have been confirmed in the empirical and the evaluation \nportion of the research. \nThe essence of the thesis is that appropriate software development strategies may \nbe chosen at various points in a project. The choice of strategy is based upon the \nvalue of particular factors. These factors include confidence in requirements, \ndevelopment environment structuredness, user types and developer types. \nIn order to achieve the research aims, the MoIST is utilised to preserve the \nmethodological strengths of the hard systems engineering paradigm. It \nsimultaneously attempts to minimise its weaknesses by combining it with a systems \nscience approach called Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). The research \nincorporates this non-traditional ‘soft’ Systems Thinking into traditional ‘hard’ \nInformation Systems Design. The two main contributions of the thesis are the \ntransformation of SSM conceptual models into UML use case diagrams and activity \ndiagrams. Another is the creation of MoIST Project Option Selection Tool (MoPros). \nThis MoIST method has been tested empirically by utilising it in a complex, \nunstructured setting in a School of Computing and Engineering. Based on the \ntheoretical and practical work conducted, it is concluded that the MoIST method is \neffective in several ways. It provides coherence and structure to complex software \nprojects and can help to facilitate decisions about improvement strategies. It also \nsuccessfully incorporates the results of SSM analysis into requirement specification based on the UML. The MoIST method is offered as a viable option to add to the \nexisting development alternatives for successful software development.
Author: Judith Nwako
Language: English
Subfield: Information Systems
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W54250533