Feasibility of Model-Driven Architecture and Change

1. Feasibility of Model-Driven Architecture and Change Leo Hermans (l.hermans@everest.nl) Guest Lecture TUE

2. Subjects • What is Model-Driven Architecture? • Model-Driven Architecture an Oxymoron? • Change Management on the Move • Chaordic Systems • What Kind of Architect Will You Be? • Example of Emerging Behavior • Recommended Reading Guest Lecture TUE

3. What is Model-Driven Architecture? • In the restricted sense • Blueprint based IT-system engineering or highly controlled development of software solutions • Examples: OMG’s MDA and CA’s AllFusionGen • In the broad sense • Blueprint based business-system engineering or highly controlled development of renewed or new business-systems, including organization, people and IT-systems • Examples: Zachman’s Enterprise Architecture, the Business Rules Approach of the BR Community and IEEE 1471 • Basic assumption: the to be system is makable or the whole is the highly predictable sum of the parts (= reductionism) “It is all about Enterprise Physics” (Zachman) Guest Lecture TUE

4. What is Model-Driven Architecture?IEEE 1471 It is assumed that it is possible to imagine, describe and explain the to be system from different viewpoints beforehand, in a systematic and detailed manner, such that every stakeholder understands beforehand what he may expect. = High degree of predictability Sounds suspiciously like: “What cannot be described cannot come into existence” “What cannot be described cannot be created” (Zachman) Guest Lecture TUE

5. Model-Driven Architecture an Oxymoron?Zachman’s Boeing physics do not apply • Development of renewed or new business-systems cannot be compared with the development of a Boeing • Airplanes consist of highly predictable parts that can be assembled in a predictable manner with a predictable behavior of the assembly • The human factor in flying airplanes is small and highly predictable: humans are forced to act by the rules • The human factor in business-systems is high and highly unpredictable • The value of a business-system emerges as a result of the interaction between numerous humans, IT-components and other resources: a contemporary business-system behaves as a non-linear complex adaptive (= chaordic) system People behave in a highly irrational and emotional manner in decision making 1978 Nobel Price laureate Herbert Simon Guest Lecture TUE

6. Model-Driven Architecture an Oxymoron? • Commonly accepted reasons for application of (enterprise) architecture are changes with a big scope, impact and complexity • But …The higher the uncertainty and complexity of the to be business-system, the less a model-driven architecture can be successful in principle • Urban design theory of Christopher Alexander is a much better reference than Zachman’s Boeing construction • Creation of order without top-down planning and control • Simple common design principles guide a distributed, fractal design • Continuous change and improvement (growth) "When we say that something grows as a whole, we mean that its own wholeness is the birthplace, the origin, and the continuous creator of its ongoing growth" Guest Lecture TUE

7. Model-Driven Architecture an Oxymoron?Operational Improvement vs. Innovation • Operational Improvement • First order change: affects only tasks • Second order change: also affects the roles of the people performing tasks • Operational Innovation • Third order change: affects the very fabric of the organization • Fourth order change: also affects relationships with external entities like the customers or partners MDA Most IT-driven changes have technical components, but their success depends largely on social factors. Colleen Young, Gartner ITxpo, 2004 Guest Lecture TUE

8. The Colors of Change (L. de Caluwé) Blue: blueprint approach Red: stimulation of people (HRM) Green: stimulation of learning Yellow: power, coalitions, politics White: rely on self organization The Orders of Change 1- and 2-order 2-, 3- and 4-order 2-, 3- and 4-order 3- and 4-order 3- and 4-order Change Management on the Move Operational Innovation requires professional change management • Third order change (within an organization)“Handboek verandermanagement”, 2003: A. Cozijnsen & W. Vrakking • Fourth order change (on the level of the value chain)“Informatiestrategie voor ketensamenwerking”, 2002: J. Grijpink Guest Lecture TUE

9. Enforcement of control on a chaordic system will result in chaos. Complexity cannot be installed! Chaordic SystemsHistory of Thinking about the World • Old Greek PhilosophersThe truth about the world around us can be known by logical thinking and pure reasoning. No Observation • Philosophy of Nature, Scientific Approach, Analytical Thinking,Reductionism, Cosmic Clockwork, Makability, Independent Observer • Quantum Physics, Relativity, Uncertainty, Dependent Observer • Uncertainty in Start Values, Chaos, Emerging Behavior, Self Organization, Complex Adaptive Systems, Participator Traditional Enterprise Architects are like the old Greeks in thinking up their architecture in their “ivory tower”. Subsequently they behave like reductionists in expecting that a new reality can be constructed using their architecture as a blueprint. As long as they don’t see the reality they are dealing with behaves as a chaordic system, their efforts will be contra productive. Guest Lecture TUE

10. Agricultural Organic Model-Driven What Kind of Architect Will You Be? An effective IT-Business Architect must balance continuously between model-driven construction and organic growth Moreover he/she must be prepared to take the bull by the horns at the right time, using the common sense of a farmer* *”boerenverstand” in Dutch Guest Lecture TUE

11. The lonely Architect What Kind of Architect Will You Be? Profile of an Effective IT-Business Architect • 50% Knowledge • IT at large • Business administration at large • IT specific for the enterprise • Business and business strategy & policy • Change Management (all five colors!) • 50% Skills and Character Traits • Charisma, magic • Communication (also listen) • Compassion • Passion • Modesty • Entrepreneurship • Agility Guest Lecture TUE

12. Example of Emerging BehaviorTraffic Control for the Dutch Railways • Problems with top-down traffic control • Deviations from the schedule are not noted in time • Disturbances emanate easily from local to regional • Big security margins, resulting in limited utilization • No allowance for traveler interests • We have proven that a multi-(intelligent)agent solution can solve this • Trains, switches, crossings and platforms are represented as simple agents that communicate and negotiate frequently • The knowledge of each type of agent is very simple and therefore can be guaranteed easily • The train traffic behavior that emerges from the interaction has proven to be much better than with top-down control • Dutch Railways intends to implement this kind of solution but as a consequence of the enormous changes involved it will take another 15 years to get there Guest Lecture TUE

13. Information Technology www.agilealliance.org www.CBDiForum.com www.brcommunity.com www.gartner.com www.butlergroup.com General principles www.chaosforum.com “Out of Control”, 1994, Kevin Kelly “A New Theory of Urban Design”, 1987, C. Alexander “The Nature of Order”, 2003, C. Alexander Recommended Reading & Browsing Organization and (project/change) management • Organizational Survival in the New World”, 2004, A. Bennet & D. Bennet • “Intensieve menshouderij”, 2005, Jaap Peters • “Informatiestrategie voor ketensamenwerking”, 2002, Jan Grijpink • “Je gaat het pas zien als je het doorhebt”, 2004, Pieter Winsemius • “Handboek Verandermanagement”, 2003, A. Cozijnsen and W. Vrakking • “Denken over veranderen in vijf kleuren”, L. de Caluwé in M&O, 4, 1998 • www.kmci.org • www.managementsite.net Guest Lecture TUE