An Intentional Perspective on Enterprise Modeling - Intentional Perspectives on Information Systems Engineering - page 224

information about e.g. how they should be used, in which context they are useful
and what are the consequence of applying them. One approach to packaging mod-
els is to use organizational patterns and to organize such patterns into a pattern
language to support a comprehensive view and to facilitate search and retrieval of
models [24] .
Use EM as a problem solving tool. Depending on the problem at hand vari-
ous types of business oriented models are developed here. However, the models
themselves are not the essential output. Sometimes the resulting models are quite
incomplete and unrefined, but the decisions made based on the modeling process
are valuable [ 22] .

5.3 EM Language Requirements

In most cases the modeling project and the problem to be addressed can be mod-
eled by several EM approaches and notations. Even within the meta-model of one
modeling language the modelers often define “dialects” and sub-notations, i.e. they
add elements of secondary notation such as comments, groupings of modeling com-
ponents, as well as include modeling components from other languages. During the
planning phase of an EM project the main choices the method provider has to make
are amongst the following issues:

•

The compromise between understandability and formality. Johannesson et al.
[ 11] suggest that the modeling languages that are more understandable by non-
experts are less formal and hence the facts are expressed more ambiguously and
with less precision.

• The appropriateness of the modeling language for modeling the problem at hand.

In some cases what will be done with the models after the modeling project (e.g.
integrated with UML models) also influences this choice.

• The acceptance of this language by the stakeholders and the target audience of

models, which can be influenced by factors such as education and training, in-
house standards for methods and tool usage as well as personal preferences.

Develop visions and strategy . If the modeling project intends to limit with just
developing the strategies, then the modeling language should be chosen such that it
ensures understandability and involvement of all stakeholders. Most likely the enter-
prise model will not use all features of the modeling language chosen. For example
in initial version of the goal model the sub-goals be arranged in groups rather than
linked together with AND/OR operationalization relationships. The BPM might be
developed at high level of detail and initially may omit information sets and concen-
trate on the structural aspects of the process flow. Since the modeling languages and
the notation are not closely followed in these projects, the method providers should
watch out that it does not deteriorate to a level of informality where the modeling
result is not a model anymore but just a drawing. This can happen if the facilitator
is inexperienced or gives excessive freedom to the participants.