Using the Viable System Model to Derive Methods for Developing Principles of Enterprise Architecture

Abstract

Principles play an important role in Information Management (IM); this can be seen from the different principle-based IM standards, such as ISO/IEC 38500 for IT Governance. Also, in the various definitions of Enterprise Architecture (EA), principles are regarded as a pivotal element. However, despite advances in the definition and usage of principles, the EA discipline still suffers from some fundamental limitations, such as the lack of guidelines for developing a generic set of principles and a theoretical basis for developing them. Assuming enterprises as viable systems, this research aims to suggest a set of design principles based on the concepts of cybernetics, especially those embedded in the Viable System Model (VSM). Stafford Beer formulated the VSM as a blueprint for designing organisations that are able to survive and thrive in a changing environment. The concepts of the VSM can be used for designing viable organisations, and hence also be used as methods for developing EA principles. The structure of this thesis is established on the Design Science Research methodology, which is generally based on the iterative â buildâ and â evaluateâ processes. Following the steps of this methodology and after the initial phases of determining the problem and objective, a set of VSM-based design principles is developed to be used as methods, in the form of guidelines, in proposing comprehensive principles, or in checking the coherency of a set of principles. As for the evaluation step, the artefact is evaluated by mapping against an existing set of principles, generating a set of principles for an Australian government department, checking the comprehensiveness of the set of principles in another Australian agency, and finally proposing a set of principles for the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) as a non-EA application. All of these works are validated by professionals in different ways. The contributions made by this research include: using cybernetic concepts to generate a set of principles and to check the coherency of existing sets of principles, improving EA by the new definition and application of principles, and proposing a set of principles for ITIL. These outcomes are published as some conference and journal papers.