The book also illustrates how data models in other techniques can be derived from an elementary F... more The book also illustrates how data models in other techniques can be derived from an elementary FCO-IM model. The context of fact oriented modeling is given as well, and perspectives on information modeling indicate related areas of application and further reading. Fact Oriented Modeling methods (like FCO-IM) have three major advantages over other data modeling techniques: • FCO-IM captures business semantics. The meaning of facts is captured by incorporating into the model expressions of concrete facts in clear sentences, which are understood by both domain experts and information modelers. • FCO-IM includes a detailed working procedure that tells you exactly how to make a data model. Many techniques are clear about what is to be modeled, but few offer a detailed set of guidelines and checks that tell you how to draw up, check and validate your model. • FCO-IM focuses on elementary facts, avoiding premature clustering of facts (in entities) but also avoiding considering only incomp...
Dit artikel behandelt de problematiek van transities en continuiteit van ondersteuning bij mensen... more Dit artikel behandelt de problematiek van transities en continuiteit van ondersteuning bij mensen met een verstandelijke beperking. Het onderzoek kijkt naar de vraag welke wensen en behoeften mensen met een lichte en matige verstandelijke beperking (of gezinnen met een of meerdere gezinsleden met een verstandelijke beperking) hebben ten aanzien van flexibele levensloopondersteuning. Deze wensen en behoeften zijn in samenwerking met de doelgroep vertaald in een prototype van een applicatie voor het signaleren van transities en het bevorderen van ondersteuning.
On the Move to Meaningful Internet Systems: OTM 2018 Workshops, 2019
In this paper, we present ten principles that, in our view, underlie and define the practice and ... more In this paper, we present ten principles that, in our view, underlie and define the practice and science of ‘Fact Based Thinking’. In itself, Fact Based Thinking underpins Fact Based Modelling (FBM) in all its forms. FBM has been around for decades, and has brought forth a number of meta-models and formalizations. The principles as discussed in this paper focus on Fact Based Thinking rather than on matters of representation and precise semantics, which have been elaborately discussed elsewhere. The principles presented are deliberately worded for broad use and inspirational purposes, rather than worked out in detail. As such, this paper suggests the initialization of further work rather than presenting a final result. The sketch of the principles presented aims to express the basics of Fact Based Thinking in a way that most members of the FBM community can feel at home with.
We present an initial framework resulting from our ongoing research concerning modeling strategie... more We present an initial framework resulting from our ongoing research concerning modeling strategies. Our approach is rooted in a subjectivist, communication-based view on modeling. Under this approach, models are viewed as the result of modeling dialogues, which are a specialized sub-type of the diverse conversations that constitute a system development conversation at large. By focussing on the process of modeling instead of properties of models or modeling languages, we expect, eventually, to be able to better understand and deal with some currently problematic aspects of modeling, in particular model validation in context. We sketch plans for an environment for studying modeling conversations and strategies. As the title suggests, the current status of our research efforts are at the level where we have an initial understanding of the fundamental workings of the playing field. In future research, the actual strategies will make
Abstract: Increasingly, organizations make use of enterprise architectures to direct the developm... more Abstract: Increasingly, organizations make use of enterprise architectures to direct the development of the enterprise as a whole and its IT portfolio in particular. In this paper we investigate the regulative nature of enterprise architecture. We aim to develop a ...
Business rules and external regulations are increasingly becoming important in information system... more Business rules and external regulations are increasingly becoming important in information systems engineering. Systems, processes and services have to operate according to the rules, they have to be easily or dynamically adaptable in case of changes, and the rules and regulations have to be identifiable and traceable. This has strong implications for the architecture, modeling, management, and execution frameworks of enterprise systems. Contracts, rules, standards and regulations are everywhere and apply to a large variety of ...
Continuous development, including continuous RE, requires more intensive, better organized, and b... more Continuous development, including continuous RE, requires more intensive, better organized, and better supported involvement of, and interaction with, business stakeholders than ever before. We should move from looking at (business) stakeholder involvement as an occasional activity in a design/development project to a regular activity very much embedded in and integrated with the daily, core business work of end-users and other stakeholders. There are similarities between 'requirements governance' and innovative, community-oriented approaches to 'data governance'. Building on work in collaborative conceptual modelling over the last decade, a perspective is presented in which the creation and maintenance of development artefacts (including requirements documents) is mirrored in a goal-oriented, continuous 'conversation about applications' (or rather, a set of interlinked sub-conversations) between various stakeholders. Gamification of this systematic interacti...
In this paper we discuss background considerations, domain properties, and some design principles... more In this paper we discuss background considerations, domain properties, and some design principles for collaborative modeling environments combining the Business Rule Management approach and the Collaborative Modeling approach. The context focused on is that of translating law texts to operational processes and systems for implementing those laws in the public sector. The process of operationalizing law is very difficult to tackle: a diversity of stakeholders have to be involved to reach consensus on semantics, goals and business service design. We consider collaboration techniques crucial in order to create the required broad basis of acceptance regarding operational policies and their formulation. Collaboration techniques also enhance the efficiency and transparency of the process. We discuss the new role of collaboration in relation to the governance processes of the organizations. We illustrate a design case by describing an environment we are developing. We reflect on some lesso...
RegelSpraak is a CNL developed at the Dutch Tax Administration (DTA) over the last decade. Keepin... more RegelSpraak is a CNL developed at the Dutch Tax Administration (DTA) over the last decade. Keeping up with frequently changing tax rules poses a formidable challenge to the DTA IT department. RegelSpraak is a central asset in ongoing efforts of the DTA to attune their tax IT systems to automatic execution of tax law. RegelSpraak now is part of the operational process of rule specification and execution. In this practice-oriented paper, we present the history of RegelSpraak, its properties and the context of its use, emphasizing its double functionality as a language readable by non-technical tax experts but also directly interpretable in a software generating setup.
6th IFIP WG 8.1 Working Conference on the Practice of Enterprise Modeling (PoEM 2013), Riga, Latv... more 6th IFIP WG 8.1 Working Conference on the Practice of Enterprise Modeling (PoEM 2013), Riga, Latvia, November 6-7, 2013
In this paper, we describe our study on the relation between formation of abstractions and aspect... more In this paper, we describe our study on the relation between formation of abstractions and aspects of executive control in the context of process modeling. We have observed and recorded three business process modeling projects in different companies. We report on the findings resulting from the analysis of the first project. We find evidence that certain traits related to high-quality abstraction formation contribute to more structured modeling performance. Through our analysis we gain more insight in the cognitive mechanisms involved in modeling, which provides us with another step towards design of effective modeling support.
In our ongoing attempt to create and support workable "rules of play" for effective, go... more In our ongoing attempt to create and support workable "rules of play" for effective, goal-driven conversations in the context of collaborative modeling, we have now reached a stage in which a first operational setup for such 'dialogue games' has been developed and tested. In this paper we present the basic, generic structure of a game-like procedure description, based on a prototype game for conceptual (information) modeling. The procedure has been tested and refined in a modest design cycle and has been demonstrated to work realistically. Its generic structure is meant to be applicable for different types of conceptual modeling, e.g. process modeling, goal modeling, task modeling, and so on (requiring specific rules and configurations for the different types). However, in this paper we merely aim to present our basic approach. An illustrative example is provided.
REFSQ 2017: Joint Proceedings of 23rd International Working Conference on Requirements Engineerin... more REFSQ 2017: Joint Proceedings of 23rd International Working Conference on Requirements Engineering: Foundation for Software Quality, Essen, Germany, February 27, 2017
The need for negotiation and decision making among collaborative modelers stems from their desire... more The need for negotiation and decision making among collaborative modelers stems from their desire to reconcile their different positions, priorities and preferences. This requires them to engage in an argumentative negotiation process so as to achieve consensus. A number of methods can be used to aggregate their judgements and priorities thus helping them to reach consensus. In this paper we show how the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) can be used to help modelers reach consensus about the quality of the different modeling aspects in a collaborative modeling process. Insights derived from this approach could be used to aid modelers reach consensus about the quality of the different aspects in a collaborative modeling session through a decision making negotiation process.
Communicative action concerns achieving and maintaining mutual understanding among all those who ... more Communicative action concerns achieving and maintaining mutual understanding among all those who are involved in a coordinated (organizational) situation. Communicative action is embedded in a social context. Current approaches in the Language/Action Perspective have focused mainly on the dynamic aspect of language, that is, on (business) conversation. In this paper, we develop a new model of context in which particular attention is given to the role of explicit context, that is, the role of texts. A text is not a (communicative) action, but it shapes the world in which communicative actions can take place. The model is illustrated by three cases: the design of a communication tool, the management of Organizational Memory, and the support of professional communities. The three cases exemplify three abstraction levels at which texts can be analyzed.
In this paper we discuss a meta-model for the analysis and evaluation of collaborative modeling s... more In this paper we discuss a meta-model for the analysis and evaluation of collaborative modeling sessions. In the first part of the meta-model, we use an analysis framework which reveals a triad of rules, interactions and models. This framework, which is central in driving the modeling process, helps us look inside the modeling process with the aim of understanding it better. The second part of the meta-model is based on an evaluation framework using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method. Central to this framework, is how modelers' quality priorities and preferences can, through a group decision-making and negotiation process, be traced back to the interactions and rules in the analysis framework. The meta model not only helps us find out what takes place during the modeling process but also the quality of the different modeling artifacts used in, and produced during, the modeling process. Illustrative examples, from real modeling sessions, are given to demonstrate the...
Onbekend.Economies around the globe have evolved into being largely service-oriented economies. C... more Onbekend.Economies around the globe have evolved into being largely service-oriented economies. Consumers no longer just want a printer or a car, they rather ask for a printing service or a mobility service. In addition, service-oriented organizations increasingly exploit new devices, technologies and infrastructures. Agility is the ability to deal with such changing requirements and environments. Agile ways of working embrace change as a positive force and harness it to the organization's competitive advantage. The approach described in this book focuses on the notion of a service as a piece of functionality that offers value to its customers. Instead of solely looking at agility in the context of system or software development, agility is approached in a broader context. The authors illustrate three kinds of agility that can be found in an agile enterprise: business, process and system agility. These three types of agility reinforce each other and establish the foundation for ...
The book also illustrates how data models in other techniques can be derived from an elementary F... more The book also illustrates how data models in other techniques can be derived from an elementary FCO-IM model. The context of fact oriented modeling is given as well, and perspectives on information modeling indicate related areas of application and further reading. Fact Oriented Modeling methods (like FCO-IM) have three major advantages over other data modeling techniques: • FCO-IM captures business semantics. The meaning of facts is captured by incorporating into the model expressions of concrete facts in clear sentences, which are understood by both domain experts and information modelers. • FCO-IM includes a detailed working procedure that tells you exactly how to make a data model. Many techniques are clear about what is to be modeled, but few offer a detailed set of guidelines and checks that tell you how to draw up, check and validate your model. • FCO-IM focuses on elementary facts, avoiding premature clustering of facts (in entities) but also avoiding considering only incomp...
Dit artikel behandelt de problematiek van transities en continuiteit van ondersteuning bij mensen... more Dit artikel behandelt de problematiek van transities en continuiteit van ondersteuning bij mensen met een verstandelijke beperking. Het onderzoek kijkt naar de vraag welke wensen en behoeften mensen met een lichte en matige verstandelijke beperking (of gezinnen met een of meerdere gezinsleden met een verstandelijke beperking) hebben ten aanzien van flexibele levensloopondersteuning. Deze wensen en behoeften zijn in samenwerking met de doelgroep vertaald in een prototype van een applicatie voor het signaleren van transities en het bevorderen van ondersteuning.
On the Move to Meaningful Internet Systems: OTM 2018 Workshops, 2019
In this paper, we present ten principles that, in our view, underlie and define the practice and ... more In this paper, we present ten principles that, in our view, underlie and define the practice and science of ‘Fact Based Thinking’. In itself, Fact Based Thinking underpins Fact Based Modelling (FBM) in all its forms. FBM has been around for decades, and has brought forth a number of meta-models and formalizations. The principles as discussed in this paper focus on Fact Based Thinking rather than on matters of representation and precise semantics, which have been elaborately discussed elsewhere. The principles presented are deliberately worded for broad use and inspirational purposes, rather than worked out in detail. As such, this paper suggests the initialization of further work rather than presenting a final result. The sketch of the principles presented aims to express the basics of Fact Based Thinking in a way that most members of the FBM community can feel at home with.
We present an initial framework resulting from our ongoing research concerning modeling strategie... more We present an initial framework resulting from our ongoing research concerning modeling strategies. Our approach is rooted in a subjectivist, communication-based view on modeling. Under this approach, models are viewed as the result of modeling dialogues, which are a specialized sub-type of the diverse conversations that constitute a system development conversation at large. By focussing on the process of modeling instead of properties of models or modeling languages, we expect, eventually, to be able to better understand and deal with some currently problematic aspects of modeling, in particular model validation in context. We sketch plans for an environment for studying modeling conversations and strategies. As the title suggests, the current status of our research efforts are at the level where we have an initial understanding of the fundamental workings of the playing field. In future research, the actual strategies will make
Abstract: Increasingly, organizations make use of enterprise architectures to direct the developm... more Abstract: Increasingly, organizations make use of enterprise architectures to direct the development of the enterprise as a whole and its IT portfolio in particular. In this paper we investigate the regulative nature of enterprise architecture. We aim to develop a ...
Business rules and external regulations are increasingly becoming important in information system... more Business rules and external regulations are increasingly becoming important in information systems engineering. Systems, processes and services have to operate according to the rules, they have to be easily or dynamically adaptable in case of changes, and the rules and regulations have to be identifiable and traceable. This has strong implications for the architecture, modeling, management, and execution frameworks of enterprise systems. Contracts, rules, standards and regulations are everywhere and apply to a large variety of ...
Continuous development, including continuous RE, requires more intensive, better organized, and b... more Continuous development, including continuous RE, requires more intensive, better organized, and better supported involvement of, and interaction with, business stakeholders than ever before. We should move from looking at (business) stakeholder involvement as an occasional activity in a design/development project to a regular activity very much embedded in and integrated with the daily, core business work of end-users and other stakeholders. There are similarities between 'requirements governance' and innovative, community-oriented approaches to 'data governance'. Building on work in collaborative conceptual modelling over the last decade, a perspective is presented in which the creation and maintenance of development artefacts (including requirements documents) is mirrored in a goal-oriented, continuous 'conversation about applications' (or rather, a set of interlinked sub-conversations) between various stakeholders. Gamification of this systematic interacti...
In this paper we discuss background considerations, domain properties, and some design principles... more In this paper we discuss background considerations, domain properties, and some design principles for collaborative modeling environments combining the Business Rule Management approach and the Collaborative Modeling approach. The context focused on is that of translating law texts to operational processes and systems for implementing those laws in the public sector. The process of operationalizing law is very difficult to tackle: a diversity of stakeholders have to be involved to reach consensus on semantics, goals and business service design. We consider collaboration techniques crucial in order to create the required broad basis of acceptance regarding operational policies and their formulation. Collaboration techniques also enhance the efficiency and transparency of the process. We discuss the new role of collaboration in relation to the governance processes of the organizations. We illustrate a design case by describing an environment we are developing. We reflect on some lesso...
RegelSpraak is a CNL developed at the Dutch Tax Administration (DTA) over the last decade. Keepin... more RegelSpraak is a CNL developed at the Dutch Tax Administration (DTA) over the last decade. Keeping up with frequently changing tax rules poses a formidable challenge to the DTA IT department. RegelSpraak is a central asset in ongoing efforts of the DTA to attune their tax IT systems to automatic execution of tax law. RegelSpraak now is part of the operational process of rule specification and execution. In this practice-oriented paper, we present the history of RegelSpraak, its properties and the context of its use, emphasizing its double functionality as a language readable by non-technical tax experts but also directly interpretable in a software generating setup.
6th IFIP WG 8.1 Working Conference on the Practice of Enterprise Modeling (PoEM 2013), Riga, Latv... more 6th IFIP WG 8.1 Working Conference on the Practice of Enterprise Modeling (PoEM 2013), Riga, Latvia, November 6-7, 2013
In this paper, we describe our study on the relation between formation of abstractions and aspect... more In this paper, we describe our study on the relation between formation of abstractions and aspects of executive control in the context of process modeling. We have observed and recorded three business process modeling projects in different companies. We report on the findings resulting from the analysis of the first project. We find evidence that certain traits related to high-quality abstraction formation contribute to more structured modeling performance. Through our analysis we gain more insight in the cognitive mechanisms involved in modeling, which provides us with another step towards design of effective modeling support.
In our ongoing attempt to create and support workable "rules of play" for effective, go... more In our ongoing attempt to create and support workable "rules of play" for effective, goal-driven conversations in the context of collaborative modeling, we have now reached a stage in which a first operational setup for such 'dialogue games' has been developed and tested. In this paper we present the basic, generic structure of a game-like procedure description, based on a prototype game for conceptual (information) modeling. The procedure has been tested and refined in a modest design cycle and has been demonstrated to work realistically. Its generic structure is meant to be applicable for different types of conceptual modeling, e.g. process modeling, goal modeling, task modeling, and so on (requiring specific rules and configurations for the different types). However, in this paper we merely aim to present our basic approach. An illustrative example is provided.
REFSQ 2017: Joint Proceedings of 23rd International Working Conference on Requirements Engineerin... more REFSQ 2017: Joint Proceedings of 23rd International Working Conference on Requirements Engineering: Foundation for Software Quality, Essen, Germany, February 27, 2017
The need for negotiation and decision making among collaborative modelers stems from their desire... more The need for negotiation and decision making among collaborative modelers stems from their desire to reconcile their different positions, priorities and preferences. This requires them to engage in an argumentative negotiation process so as to achieve consensus. A number of methods can be used to aggregate their judgements and priorities thus helping them to reach consensus. In this paper we show how the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) can be used to help modelers reach consensus about the quality of the different modeling aspects in a collaborative modeling process. Insights derived from this approach could be used to aid modelers reach consensus about the quality of the different aspects in a collaborative modeling session through a decision making negotiation process.
Communicative action concerns achieving and maintaining mutual understanding among all those who ... more Communicative action concerns achieving and maintaining mutual understanding among all those who are involved in a coordinated (organizational) situation. Communicative action is embedded in a social context. Current approaches in the Language/Action Perspective have focused mainly on the dynamic aspect of language, that is, on (business) conversation. In this paper, we develop a new model of context in which particular attention is given to the role of explicit context, that is, the role of texts. A text is not a (communicative) action, but it shapes the world in which communicative actions can take place. The model is illustrated by three cases: the design of a communication tool, the management of Organizational Memory, and the support of professional communities. The three cases exemplify three abstraction levels at which texts can be analyzed.
In this paper we discuss a meta-model for the analysis and evaluation of collaborative modeling s... more In this paper we discuss a meta-model for the analysis and evaluation of collaborative modeling sessions. In the first part of the meta-model, we use an analysis framework which reveals a triad of rules, interactions and models. This framework, which is central in driving the modeling process, helps us look inside the modeling process with the aim of understanding it better. The second part of the meta-model is based on an evaluation framework using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method. Central to this framework, is how modelers' quality priorities and preferences can, through a group decision-making and negotiation process, be traced back to the interactions and rules in the analysis framework. The meta model not only helps us find out what takes place during the modeling process but also the quality of the different modeling artifacts used in, and produced during, the modeling process. Illustrative examples, from real modeling sessions, are given to demonstrate the...
Onbekend.Economies around the globe have evolved into being largely service-oriented economies. C... more Onbekend.Economies around the globe have evolved into being largely service-oriented economies. Consumers no longer just want a printer or a car, they rather ask for a printing service or a mobility service. In addition, service-oriented organizations increasingly exploit new devices, technologies and infrastructures. Agility is the ability to deal with such changing requirements and environments. Agile ways of working embrace change as a positive force and harness it to the organization's competitive advantage. The approach described in this book focuses on the notion of a service as a piece of functionality that offers value to its customers. Instead of solely looking at agility in the context of system or software development, agility is approached in a broader context. The authors illustrate three kinds of agility that can be found in an agile enterprise: business, process and system agility. These three types of agility reinforce each other and establish the foundation for ...
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