Towards a Theory of Information Systems -The FRISCO Approach

1. Towards a Theory of Information Systems -The FRISCO Approach Wolfgang Hesse c/o FB Mathematik/Informatik, Philipps-University Marburg/Germanyemail: hesse@informatik.uni-marburg.de URL: http://www.Mathematik.uni-marburg.de/~hesse Alex Verrijn-Stuart Department of Computer Science, University Leidenemail: alexander.verrynstuart@wxs.nl URL: http://www.wi.leidenuniv.nl/~verrynst 10th EJC - Foil 001

2. Outline of presentation 1 FRISCO history, goals and achievements 2 The FRISCO line of reasoning 3 The FRISCO conceptual framework 4 The conception controversy 5 Further problems and weaknesses of the FRISCO report 6 A layered framework structure 7 Conclusions 10th EJC - Foil 010

3. FRISCO history and goals FRISCO =FRamework of Information System COncepts IFIP WG8.1 Task Group established 1988 because of concern about harmful confusion due to (or manifesting itself in) fuzzy terminology and absence of a consistent conceptual reference. “ISCO” conferences: Namur (1989), Alexandria (1992), Marburg (1995), Leiden (1999) Goals: - understanding Information Systems (why-what-where … not howto) - consistent framework of concepts, anchored in auxiliary disciplines 10th EJC - Foil 020

4. FRISCO achievements • FRISCO Report IFIP 1998ISBN 3-901882-01-4 • ftp://ftp.leidenuniv.nl/pub/rul/fri-full.zip • Contents: • (1) Introduction, (2) Line of reasoning, (3) Integrated overview, (4) Formal approach, (5) Case study, (6) Selected topics (7) Reflections (committed positions / dissent) • Achievements: • Placing IS area in general scientific context • (philosophy, ontology, semiotics, system science, organisation • science, computer science) • Providing a reference background for scientists and professionals • (line of reasoning, coherent system of concepts) • Definitively not intended: • Fixing a standard terminology • Inventing a standard method of analysis and design 10th EJC - Foil 030

5. The FRISCO line of reasoning (1) • Roots of the “information system problem”: • different views • [technical, social, conceptual - FRISCO considers all three] • interdisciplinarity • [organisation science, cognitive science, semiotics, system science, …] • variety of interest groups • [“suppliers”: scientists, system designers, s/w suppliers  “users”] • conflicting philosophical positions regarding “reality” • [FRISCO: “constructivism”, personal “perceptions”  “conceptions”] • (lack of) understanding communication • [FRISCO: personal/shared “conceptions”  shared “representations”] 10th EJC - Foil 040

6. The FRISCO line of reasoning (2) The “world” perceivingrepresenting conceiving Minds of people Domains Representations Perceptions Conceptions 10th EJC - Foil 050

7. The FRISCO line of reasoning (3) Semiotics (Aristotle/Peirce/FRISCO) “sign” = something stands to somebodyfor something else in some respect or capacity conception actor: interpreter/representer domainrepresentation 10th EJC - Foil 060

8. The FRISCO line of reasoning (4) “Semiotic Ladder” social world: beliefs, expectations, laws pragmatics: intentions,communication semantics: meanings, validity, denotation syntactics: language, logic, data empirics: pattern, entropy, efficiency physical world: signals, traces, laws of nature 10th EJC - Foil 070

9. The FRISCO line of reasoning (5) • “World” is talked about on basis of (personal) “conceptions” • Some part of world (“domain”)  specific conception (“model”) • Model may be “represented”  “model denotation” • Model  personal • (conception, view, interpretation … ) • Model denotation  shared, in the physical world • (in some language, sound, drawing … serving as “sign”) • Repeated observation (including perceived representations) •  stable (personal) conception = (personal) “knowledge” • Repeated exchange of representation (of specific conception) •  stable conception for all = “shared knowledge” 10th EJC - Foil 080

10. The FRISCO line of reasoning (6) Information System = system in organisational context, serving to provide “value” by making “information” available System = model of coherent whole, according to “system viewer” - represented and ultimately agreed as “system denotation” Information = increment of (personal) knowledge - acquired by observation, often via “messages” Information System = arrangement to help acquisition, processing and dispersal of information - actual information system is subject to personal interpretation - agreed Information System Denotation = shared view - Within IS (“in broader sense”): Computerised sub-systems (CISS) 10th EJC - Foil 090

11. The FRISCO conceptual framework Starting point :“things” in the “world” (perceived) “conceptions” Line of reasoning: Assumptions (pseudo “primitives”) Concept Definitions (derived, explanatory in nature)  Ontology:(talking about world view, coherent exposé)  “Body” of FRISCO Report  statics (things, predicators [= descriptions], relationships, ...)  dynamics (states, transitions … )  action (actors, actands, goals …)  restrictions due to constructivist view (semiotics, semiotic ladder)  models (domains, conceptions, interpretations, language … )  systems (organisations, norms, information, communication …)  computerised information sub-systems 10th EJC - Foil 100

12. The conception controversy (1) • Conceptions = the mother of all things? • A thing is any part of a conception of a domain (...). The set of all things under consideration is the conception of that domain.”([FRISCO 98], ch. 3, def. E1) •  There would be nothing but conceptions • Conceptions = a psychological, speculative phenomenon ? • ”... a conception is ... a special actand ... resulting from an action whereby a human actor aims at interpreting a perception in his mind, possibly in a specific action context.” ([FRISCO 98], ch. 3, def. E 20) •  Conceptions would be subjective and based on perception psychology • Conceptions = a source of speculation? • ”we cannot observe the ‘conceptions’ locked inside our skulls ...” • "conceptions are inaccessible .. " " ... can only be ‘seen’ in a metaphorical sense by introspection ...” ( [Stamper 98]) •  Things taken as conceptions would make the whole report a subject of speculation (?) 10th EJC - Foil 110

13. The conception controversy (2) • What, after all, is the nature and essence of conceptions? • Indeed, conceptions are the mirror of the world in the human's mind: • ”... that as what the observer has recognised the subject of his/her reference”.[v. Braun, Hesse et al. 99] • But: • The constructivist position requires negotiating our views in a social discourse: • "...conceptions are social constructs, formed by a language community through common use and shared understanding."[v. Braun, Hesse et al. 99] •  Conceptions becomeinter-subjective, language-basedand verifiable •  Conceptions are not a source ofspeculationbut ofnegotiationandcommon understanding 10th EJC - Foil 120

14. R D stands for C O D The meaning of "meaning" Conventional meaning relationship: • Advanced meaning relationship • "For observer O, the expression R represents the aspect(s) C of some domain D." • "Conceptions" reflect the aspect character of all recognition • "Conceptions" = content of discourse reflecting the aspects of a problem domain R 10th EJC - Foil 130

15. Brown is a client of XYZ Brown is 29 years old Brown's address is .... Brown is married... Observer Brown Charles 26-2-1971 M 25 High St., ... Customer Brown(as a physical person) The ternary semiotic relationship Example of the use of the semiotic tetrahedron 10th EJC - Foil 140

16. Consequences for FRISCO A revised (and refined) view of conceptions and things: • ConceptionAgreed content of discoursereflecting theaspectsof a problem domain • Observer/ ActorIndividual or group, originator ofobservations, conceptions and representations • Thing Anything an observer has recognised as amatter of discourse • What matters for IS modelling and construction:the triple viewencompassing arepresentation or appearance, a conception and areferent 10th EJC - Foil 150

17. Further problems and weaknesses of the FRISCO report • Circular definitions concerning e.g.actand - thing - conception; actor - thing - conception; solved by better layering; distinction of actor and world observer • "Over-formalisation" E.g.:set membership(part of the mathematical basis) •  to be replaced by composition • Case study (sample applicaton) raisedexaggerated expectations; should not be mistaken as a complete modelling exercise • Reflections of authors and associates • show the "democratic FRISCO culture",but: might easily be misunderstood as demonstrating the lack of conclusiveness of the FRISCO effort 10th EJC - Foil 160

18. Actand Action Actor ... Thing Conception Circular definitions The conception / thing / actor circularity (simplified) 10th EJC - Foil 170

19. A layered framework structure The overall structure can be improved and circularities can be avoided by a clear separation of layers: • Base layer containing a set of terms "taken for granted", forming the"FRISCO ontology" • Kernel layer containing a set of elementarydefinitions considered central for the whole IS area; • decomposed into- static kernel concepts, - dynamic kernel concepts, • System layer containing a set of definitions of advanced, non-elementary concepts 10th EJC - Foil 180

20. Static concepts Entity Composite thing Instance Elementary thing Relationship Population Predicator Type Thing Conception Perception Domain Dependency graph of some static kernel concepts (simplified) 10th EJC - Foil 190

21. Goal Time Actand Action Transitionoccurrence Actor Thing Transition Relationship State Composite thing Domain Dynamic concepts Dependency graph of some dynamic kernel concepts (simplified) 10th EJC - Foil 200

22. System level concepts Information system Organisational system Communication Information Goal System Message Modeldenotation Data Composite thing Model Language Representation Knowledge Conception (Human) Actor Dependency graph of some system level concepts (simplified) 10th EJC - Foil 210

23. Conclusions (1) A revision of the FRISCO report has been decided upon and is still under way. Main goals of the revision: - restructurethe report according to the proposed layer structure, - integrate corresponding informal, formal, example and supplementary sections, - rework the foundation part, introduce a new "base layer", rearrange concepts, aim at a clearer layer structure and remove circular definitions, - review the text, adapt it to the current requirements, replace or eliminate outdated sections and rework examples and formali-sations where necessary. 10th EJC - Foil 220

24. Conclusions (2) • Possible impact and effects of the FRISCO approach • FRISCO supports a better understanding of the IS field by broadening the usual techno-centric view on IS to a "socio-technical" one which encompasses human beings, organisations, business processes, standards and tools. • FRISCO helps bridging the gaps between the spaces of "real world objects", "modelling concepts" and "representations" by starting from a solid semiotic basis. • FRISCO addresses the complexity of concepts like information or communication by relating them to semiotic levels. • FRISCO offers orientation for IS analysts, designers and implementors by providing a well-structured, layered framework of concepts and definitions. • The Revised FRISCO Report should enhance these qualities by avoiding the original inconsistencies and providing clear dependency lines. 10th EJC - Foil 230

25. References [v. Braun, Hesse et al. 99] H. v. Braun, W. Hesse, U. Andelfinger, H.B. Kittlaus, G. Scheschonk.: Conceptions are social constructs - Towards a solid foundation of the FRISCO approach. In: [Falkenberg et al. 00] [Falkenberg et al 98] E.D. Falkenberg, W. Hesse, P. Lindgreen, B.E. Nilsson, J.L.H. Oei, C. Rolland, R.K. Stamper, F.J.M. Van Assche, A.A. Verrijn-Stuart, K. Voss: FRISCO - A Framework of Information System Concepts - The FRISCO Report. IFIP WG 8.1 Task Group FRISCO. Web version: ftp:// ftp.leidenuniv.nl/publ/rul/fri-full.zip (1998) [Falkenberg et al 00] E.D. Falkenberg, K. Lyttinen, A.A. Verrijn-Stuart (Eds.): Information System Concepts - An Integrated Discipline Emerging. Proc. ISCO 4 Conference, Kluwer Publ. Comp. 2000 [Hesse 99] W. Hesse: Conceptual Foundations of Information Systems - Memorandum on ISCO4 – Workshop 1. In: [6] [Hesse & Verrijn-Stuart 01] W. Hesse, A.A. Verrijn-Stuart: Towards a Theory of Information Systems: The FRISCO Approach. In: H. Kangassalo et. al. (eds.): Information Modelling and Knowledge Bases XII. IOS Press, Amsterdam, 2001 pp. 81-91 [Stamper 98] R.K. Stamper: A dissenting position. In: [Falkenberg et al. 98], ch. 7 "Reflections" [Stamper 00] R.K. Stamper: Information Systems as a Social Science, An alternative to the FRISCO approach. In: [Falkenberg et al. 00] [Verrijn-Stuart 98] A.A. Verrijn-Stuart: Understanding the Pragmatics of Formalised Information: The FRISCO Report and its Consequences, Invited Paper, presented at the International Conference on Knowledge, Logic, Information, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 18-20 February 1998, Report 98-05, Dept of Computer Science, University of Leiden 10th EJC - Foil 240