Model-based development of computer-based information systems

The view of processing as an integral part of function suggests that information systems must be embedded into the structure and dynamics of the functions they support. This requires that the architecture of the computer-based information system be compatible with the structure and dynamics of the organization it supports. In this paper we propose a model-based approach to the development of information systems that uses models of the structure and dynamics of organizations in order to develop effective function support. The proposed approach uses a conceptual tool to model key features of the structure and dynamics of the organization and a methodology that maps such features into the architecture of its supporting information system. A modeling and simulation environment is suggested that includes an extensive model base that can be used for the simulation and analysis of organizational function in addition to its use in systems development.