CONSTRUCTIVE IMAGES AND DIAGRAMS: THEIR ROLE IN INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

In order to promote more creative solutions to Information Systems (IS) design problems, this paper identifies four roles that images or diagrams can play in the IS development process. These roles are characteristics of the interaction between the image and its creator or viewer, rather than of the diagram itself. One of these roles in particular, the constructive role, can do much to support the generation of creative designs, to the benefit of both systems developers and their clients. The goal of constructive systems thinking is to enhance the creative solution of IS development problems, and it cannot be reduced to a specific, highly structured technique. We can, however, outline a general approach to building constructive images: 1. Create a set of candidate analogies, elaborate them, and evaluate the degree to which each guides design of the target system. 2. Evaluate how completely this working set of analogies in forms the important aspects of the target system, and create additional analogies to fill any major gaps. 3. Over the relevant scope of each analogy, research its structure and dynamic interactions. Use these as templates within which to model the target system. 4. Validate this design and its functional implications with the system client, adjusting it as required. 5. Complete the design by removing details specific to the analogous system and adding those relevant to the target system.