Abstract
Chapter 1 adopted a novel definition of information system as “an organized and integrated collection of choices.” This terminology may be different from that commonly used in professional information system practice, but is it inconsistent? The synthesis of Alexander’s vision of living structure and Lakoff’s explanation of knowledge and understanding via metaphor provides an elegant framework for contemplating the effective design and construction of information systems as an organized and integrated collection of choices. The two prominent domains of professional IS practice that address the design and construction of effective information systems are software engineering and systems engineering. They share an underlying concept of patterning loosely defined in what are called software and/or systems “architecture.” Although their perspectives are different, their underlying philosophy is the same and may be best explained through the unifying aspect of choices.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Standards in one form or another are common to virtually all the professions to normalize terminology and practice to portray their behavior as predictable, orderly, and (to some degree) trustworthy.
- 2.
The cost associated with the rigor required cannot always be justified by the stakeholder community. The commitment to building a thriving system must be predicated on that community’s cost/benefit assessment.
- 3.
See Section 4.6.
- 4.
Aircraft pilots refer to this continuous peripheral scanning as situational awareness. Pilots must be ever attentive in a three-dimensional space. The stakeholder “space” may have several more dimensions in which they must be alert.
References
IEEE, “IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology,” IEEE std 610.12-1990, 1990.
Thomé B, Systems Engineering : Principles and Practice of Computer-based Systems Engineering, Chichester, UK: Wiley, 1993.
SEI Community Software Architecture Definitions, http://www.sei.cmu.edu/architecture/start/community.cfm. Accessed 1/25/2010.
SEI Glossary, http://www.sei.cmu.edu/architecture/start/glossary/. Accessed 1/25/2010.
ANSI/IEEE 1471-2000, http://standards.ieee.org/reading/ieee/std_public/description/se/1471-2000_desc.html Accessed 1/25/2010.
Bass L, Clements P, and Kazman R Software Architecture in Practice, Second Edition. Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley, 2003.
Shaw M and Clements P, “The Golden Age of Software Architecture,” IEEE Software, vol 23, no 2, March/April, 2006, pp 31–19.
Rowland D. and Howe TN, Vitruvius. Ten Books on Architecture, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1999.
Jacobson I., Griss M. and Jonsson P, Software Reuse: Architecture, Process and Organization for Business Success, New York: ACM Press, 1997.
Alexander C, The Nature of Order An Essay on the Art of Building and the Nature of the Universe: Book III - A Vision of a Living World, Berkeley, CA: The Center for Environmental Structure, 2005, p 4.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2010 Springer-Verlag London Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Waguespack, L.J. (2010). Metaphor-Driven Systems Engineering. In: Thriving Systems Theory and Metaphor-Driven Modeling. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-302-2_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84996-302-2_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-84996-301-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-84996-302-2
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)