1. 1 Evaluation of Systems Analysis Methodologies in a Workflow Context Fahad Al-Humaidan, Computing Science, Newcastle University Nick Rossiter, Computing and Mathematics, Northumbria University, England nick.rossiter@unn.ac.uk

2. 2 Methodologies Many in systems analysis e.g. –SSADM (transaction-oriented relational db) –UML (object-oriented environment) Initial effort on tangible ‘hard’ aspects –Program code (functionality), data structures (storage and retrieval) Omits resources (people, money and equipment) and other ‘soft’ issues

3. 3 Soft Systems quality issues –identification of the problem –user involvement –organisational structure –goals and policies –employee job satisfaction –different points of view –employee’s values –system acceptability and usability.

4. 4 Approaches Evaluated OPM: The Organisation Process Modelling method (Warboys, 1999) SSADM: The Structured Systems Analysis and Design Method (SSADM, version 4, 1990 (Duncan, Rackley and Walker, 1995) UML: The Unified Modelling Language (UML, version 1.3, 1998, Booch, 1999) Unified Process: The Unified Process method of 1999 (Rational Software Corporation, 2000) SSM: Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) (Checkland and Scholes, 1990) Workflow (WFMS): The Workflow Management System (Jablonski and Bussler, 1996)

5. 5 Evaluation Taxonomy: Developed to cover both hard and soft aspects: –hard aspects 1.Data 2.Events 3.Processes 4.Interfaces –soft system aspects 5.resources 6.quality 7.business issues 8.problem identification 9.user involvement 10.organisational structure, goals and policies 11.employee job satisfaction 12.different views 13.employee values 14. system acceptability and usability

6. 6 Comparison of Methodologies: system elements 1-7 Method Elements OPMSSADMUMLUPSSMWFMS 1. Data XLDM classclass./ database X work- flow data 2. Events CMELH behav- iour X triggers 3. Processes RADDFD activity concept- ual process 4. Interfaces X Dialogue design class/co- mponent sketch/ prototype X various 5. Resources XRC stereo- type project manager root definition info/ human 6. Quality XRC proto- types prototype / test measuresrules 7. Business issues RAD DFD/ ELH activitybusiness model business options business process

7. 7 Comparison of Methodologies: system elements 8-14 Method Elements OPMSSADMUMLUPSSMWFMS 8. Identify problem system model strategic planning Rich Picture enterprise plan 9. User involvement gather/ validate gather/ review seek consensus encour- age 10. Organ. structure process analysis strategic planning activity model business model Rich Picture enterprise plan 11. Job satisfaction XBSO employee choice involve in project involve in stages system- delivered 12. Points of view Rich Picture RC analyst activity integratedreconcil- ed in CM multiple paths 13. Values use of SSM XXX Analysis Two organisat. populat. 14. Accept- ability task- structure varioususer/pro- totyping user/ testsuser involved solve problems

8. 8 Merits of Approaches 1 OPM –Interactions between agents as they achieve their goals –Emphasis on agents in AI useful complementation –Deals with some hard and most of the soft –Soft coverage based on SSM to some extent –Lack of facilities for representing data structures SSADM –Originally a hard system covering transactions in databases –Deals with all hard aspects –But only some of the soft aspects where uses some SSM features

9. 9 Merits of Approaches 2 UML –Expressive object-oriented modelling language –Covers all hard aspects –Weak on soft aspects UP –Object-oriented development method based on UML –Covers all hard aspects –Stronger on soft aspects than UML but still not comprehensive

10. 10 Merits of Approaches 3 SSM –weak on hard issues such as data structures, events, interfaces –strong on soft issues covering them all using Rich Pictures in some cases –soft issues of increasing importance in areas such as e- learning WFMS –meets every criteria (hard and soft) to high extent –very wide-ranging –taxonomy was derived from WFMS so some bias –UML better in information system abstractions

11. 11 Conclusions Relatively strong on soft aspects: –OPM, SSM Relatively strong on hard aspects: –UML, UP Relatively comprehensive but lacking some soft features -- SSADM -- or hard features - - WFMS Future work: look at combining UML/WFMS