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Development of an information requirements determination methodology: Utilization of normative analysis from a universal enterprise information model
Abstract
This dissertation proposes and creates a new methodology for the information requirements determination phase in the development of a computerized information system. The new methodology prescribes the use of normative analysis from a universal enterprise information model. The methodology can be used within the classical systems development life cycle or in the early stages of the system prototyping approach. Information requirements determination is the most critical phase but is not well supported by most integrated information system development methodologies. Streamlining that phase, which is the basic intention of the new methodology, can yield substantial micro and macro economic gains. That is particularly promising for small businesses, which typically do not determine information requirements or build computerized information systems properly. The feasibility of constructing a universal enterprise information model is implied from General Systems Theory research regarding contrived social organizations, including businesses. From the perspective of information required to support such organizations, all businesses are very similar to each other. In the model preparation stage, enterprise information structures of 153 organizations and examples from sixty-one publications were examined. The subjects represented several geographic regions and industry classifications and were examined over several years. The publications included database text and case books and manuals from proprietary systems. The model was constructed using practices of General Systems Theory and relational database design. It was validated by comparing it to enterprise information structures of several small organizations to determine whether the model could have been used to generate those enterprise information structures. In the final stage, the model was successfully used to rapidly create enterprise information structures for seven small organizations. This research demonstrates that creation of a universal enterprise information model is indeed possible and that model can be used with normative analysis to more easily accomplish information requirements determination. The benefits of the new methodology are as great for individual organizations as for the information systems industry.
Subject Area
Management|Computer science
Recommended Citation
Carpenter, Donald Albert, "Development of an information requirements determination methodology: Utilization of normative analysis from a universal enterprise information model" (1992). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9308168.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9308168