Information Sources

In the past I have used a number of text books, none of which are very satisfactory.
This year, I am trying an experiment. Instead of using a single textbook, I am providing a collection of important papers. These were all published in ACM publications and are freely available for copying for educational purposes. In addition, I am relying on you to get any further information you need from a wide array of sources. The software engineering faculty have a library of ISD and SE textbooks and methodology manuals that you are free to use. It’s in Gwen Baker’s office in the College of Computing Building. She administers this system Mon-Tue and Thu-Fri.
Slides and notes will be published on the web page incrementally. I am also requiring you to make your team documents available on the web pages. These are a fine source of learning materials for everyone.

Topics and Readings

Information systems and their information

What information systems are and what software engineers or computer scientists do. The relationship between systems and their environments. The assumptions that we make about the world when we design them. Information systems development or software engineering as a profession. Social consequences of professional lapses.

Brooks, F. P. (1996). “The computer scientist as toolsmith II.” Communications of the ACM 39(3): 61-68.
Dahlblom, B. and L. Mathiassen (1997). “The future of our profession.” Communications of the ACM 40(6): 80-89.
Oz, E. (1994). “When professional standards are lax: The CONFIRM failure and its lessons.” Communications of the ACM 37(10): 29-36.
Zave, P. and M. Jackson (1997). “Four dark corners of requirements engineering.” ACM Transactions on Software Engineering 6(1): 1-30.

Understanding customer needs

Techniques for gathering requirements for information systems from customers and potential users. Soft systems analysis and requirements for organizational information systems. Contextual design and requirements for information technology products. The interdisciplinary nature of information systems development and software engineering research.

Beyer, H. R. and K. Holtzblatt (1995). “Apprenticing with the customer.” Communications of the ACM 38(5): 45-54.
Keil, M. and E. Carmel (1995). “Customer-developer links in software development.” Communications of the ACM 38(5): 33-44.
Wood-Harper, A. T., S. Corder, et al. (1996). “How we profess: The ethical systems analyst.” Communications of the ACM 39(3): 69-77.

Information modeling

Modeling as the basis for information systems design. Modeling information and data in traditional database-heavy information systems. Hybrid techniques for hypermedia information systems.

Isakowitz, T., E. A. Stohr, et al. (1995). “RMM: A methodology for structured hypermedia design.” Communications of the ACM 38(8): 34-44.
Navathe, S. B. (1992). “Evolution of data modeling for databases.” Communications of the ACM 35(9): 112-123.

Object and task modeling

Modeling systems as collections of responsible actors. Patterns of interaction. Object-oriented modeling strategies and tactics.

Coad, P. (1992). “Object-oriented patterns.” Communications of the ACM 35(9): 153-159.
Henderson-Sellers, B. and J. M. Edwards (1990). “The object-oriented systems life cycle.” Communications of the ACM 33(9): 142-159.
Korson, T. and J. D. McGregor (1990). “Understanding object-oriented: A unifying paradigm.” Communications of the ACM 33(9): 40-60.
Parsons, J. and Y. Wand (1997). “Choosing classes in conceptual modeling.” Communications of the ACM 40(6): 63-69.
Rubin, K. S. and A. Goldberg (1992). “Object behavior analysis.” Communications of the ACM 35(9): 48-62.

Enterprise and Personal Information Systems

How information systems are spreading throughout business enterprises. Case discussion: Organization of personal life as a one-person “enterprise” and the potential role of personal information systems in running it.

Genesereth, M. R. and S. P. Ketchpel (1994). “Software agents.” Communications of the ACM 37(7): 48-53.
Greif, I. (1994). “Desktop agents in group-enabled products.” Communications of the ACM 37(7): 100-105.
Kautz, H. A., B. Selman, et al. (1994). “Bottom-up design of software agents.” Communications of the ACM 37(7): 143-147.
Mitchell, T., R. Caruana, et al. (1994). “Experience with a learning personal assistant.” Communications of the ACM 37(7): 81-91.
Maes, P. (1994). “Agents that reduce work and information overload.” Communications of the ACM 37(7): 31-40.
Norman, D. A. (1994). “How might people interact with agents.” Communications of the ACM 37(7): 68-71.
Scheer, A.-W. and A. Hars (1992). “Extending data modeling to cover the whole enterprise.” Communications of the ACM 35(9): 166-172.

Workflow support for IS development and other applications

Modeling and supporting collaborative activity with workflow information systems. Software development itself viewed as a workflow process.

Curtis, B., M. I. Kellner, et al. (1992). “Process modeling.” Communications of the ACM 35(9): 75-90.
Krasner, H., J. Terrel, et al. (1992). “Lessons learned from a software process modeling system.” Communications of the ACM 35(9): 91-100.

Software and information quality

Software engineering as a manufacturing process with quality metrics and quality-improvement plans. Examples of process interventions and evidence for their effectiveness. Data quality and its implications in information systems.

Arthur, L. J. (1997). “Quantum improvements in software system quality.” Communications of the ACM 40(6): 46-52.
Grady, R. G. (1993). “Practical results from measuring software quality.” Communications of the ACM 36(11): 62-68.
Knight, J. C. and E. A. Myers (1993). “An improved inspection technique.” Communications of the ACM 36(11): 50-61.
Strong, D. M., Y. W. Lee, et al. (1997). “Data quality in context.” Communications of the ACM 40(5): 103-110.
Wand, Y. and R. Y. Wang (1996). “Anchoring data quality dimensions in ontological foundations.” Communications of the ACM 39(11): 86-95.

The work of software development

Project management. Development work in real organizations. The quality/maturity of software development processes in different organizations. Research methods for evaluation of information systems development. The incorporation of research innovations into practice.

Constantine, L. L. (1993). “Work organization: Paradigms for project management and organization.” Communications of the ACM 36(10): 34-43.
Cusumano, M. A. and R. W. Selby (1997). “How Microsoft builds software.” Communications of the ACM 40(6): 53-62.
Fraser, M. D., K. Kumar, et al. (1994). “Strategies for incorporating formal specifications in software development.” Communications of the ACM 37(10): 74-86.
Herbsleb, J., D. Zubrow, et al. (1997). “Software quality and the Capability Maturity Model.” Communications of the ACM 40(6): 30-40.
Hollenbach, C., R. Young, et al. (1997). “Combining quality and software improvement.” Communications of the ACM 40(6): 41-45.
Rettig, M. and G. Simons (1993). “A project planning and development process for small teams.” Communications of the ACM 36(10): 44-55.