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Analyzing the Evolvability of Modular Structures: a Longitudinal Normalized Systems Case Study

Authors:
Philip Huysmans
Peter De Bruyn
Gilles Oorts
Jan Verelst
Dirk van der Linden
Herwig Mannaert

Keywords: Normalized Systems; modularity; evolvability; case study

Abstract:
The evolvability of organizations as a whole is de- termined by the evolvability of different enterprise architecture layers. This paper presents a longitudinal case study, performed within an infrastructure monitoring company, on how Normalized Systems Theory enables this evolvability, at least, at the level of its information systems. By describing the different versions of the case organization’s information system throughout time, we are able to analyze the characteristics of the system which facilitate this goal. In particular, the increasingly fine-grained structure of the system allows for multiple dimensions of variability. This analysis is then generalized and described in terms of modular systems. Based on this generalization, several implications for other enterprise layers are presented.

Pages: 319 to 325

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2015

Publication date: November 15, 2015

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-4235

ISBN: 978-1-61208-438-1

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Dates: from November 15, 2015 to November 20, 2015