From enterprise modelling to enterprise visual scenes

This paper extends the definition and role of Enterprise Modelling (EM), and describes recent research results that have lead to the definition of the next generation of what the authors call Visual Enterprise Scenes (EVS). The focus is on the transition from EM to EVS and what the implications will be for industry, developers of solutions, system providers, future users and user communities, and the information society at large. To explain the need and the way to transition from EM to EVS the authors pose these four questions: 1. Which enterprise knowledge must be externalized and why – what properties are gained? 2. How to represent enterprise knowledge – what types and kinds of views must be supported? 3. How to support and integrate the many enterprise architectures – what is the glue? 4. Who owns the knowledge and should therefore do the modelling – who learns from modelling? Answers are given with reference to the prevailing EM definition and reported state-of-the-art. Enhancements to state-of-the-art are discussed and proposed, as is a new EM definition. The paper concludes with directions for future development of visual EM languages and Enterprise Visual Scenes.