A STUDY OF METAMODELLING IN THE AREA OF INFORMATION SYSTEM DESIGN

摘要

In the metamodelling process the design foundations are set. One purpose of this workrnis to study how the process of metamodelling is considered in the area of informationrnsystem design. Another purpose is to tentatively evaluate how metamodellingrnprocesses in this area are performed. To apply metamodelling in this work means thatrnone reflects on the design situation in order to understand it. Based on thatrnunderstanding a selection of an appropriate methodology should be possible. Ifrnmetamodelling is omitted a design may be faulty. Designers have been interviewed. Itrnhas been found that streaks of metamodelling seem to be present in their work, butrnthese metamodelling reflections are implicit in what they do. A literature study wasrnperformed to see how metamodelling is dealt with in the literature on informationrnsystem design. Method Engineering (ME) was found as one example wherernmetamodelling processes exist abundantly. A characterisation of metamodelling wasrnmade based on the works by Churchman, van Gigch, and Flood and Carson. Thisrncharacterisation has been used as a basis for evaluating ME. It was found that MErnbelongs to the hard perspective. It is a formalized process where metamodellingrnactivities are in focus. It is recommended that more soft streaks should permeate ME.