<p>This study aims to evaluate the use of the method Information Demand Analysis (henceforth IDA) against an analysis tool. To gain empirical understanding of IDA, the method will be applied to a cooperation process between two business organisations. The research questions of the study are to investigate what can be required of a method, to identify the information demand for the above mentioned cooperation process, and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the use of IDA.</p><p>Based on a literature study an evaluation framework, which describes what can be required of a method, was developed. The evaluation framework resulted in an analysis tool, which consists of the elements: method content, method user, method context, method validation, the method creator’s requirements, and the wishes and expectations of the business organisations. The use of IDA implied scoping to delimit the problem situation and a workshop to identify the information demand. In order to gain an understanding of the use of the method IDA, and to identify the information demand, the method was applied to a cooperation process between Steel AB and Wood AB. The information demand was later represented in Extended Enterprise Modelling Language (henceforth EEML). Finally, we analysed if and how the elements in the analysis tool were reflected in IDA and identified the strengths and weaknesses of the use of the method.</p><p>The strengths of IDA are that it is general and applicable on different types of business organisations. Furthermore, it has well defined concepts and the possibility of selecting appropriate concepts ensures that it is applicable on different problem situations. The business organisations, which participated in the workshop, found that IDA resulted in a holistic view and increased the understanding for each other. The weaknesses of IDA are lack of documentation of explicitly defined steps, the implications for selecting certain concepts, guidance, and explicitly described notations. Concerning the involved roles, in IDA, we request a description of them, their responsibilities, and the needed knowledge sets and skills for using the method. Since IDA still is under development we had difficulties understanding how our outcome of the method should fulfil the purpose of IDA.</p>
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA/oai:DiVA.org:vxu-2581 |
Date | January 2009 |
Creators | Wass, Sofie, Nyberg, Camilla |
Publisher | Växjö University, School of Mathematics and Systems Engineering, Växjö University, School of Mathematics and Systems Engineering |
Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
Language | English |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Student thesis, text |
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