A Methodological Framework for Understanding IS Adaptation through Enterprise Change1

Enterprise change calls for Information System adaptation. In both academy and practice, BP modeling and re-engineering has been recognized as an effective way to enlighten the adaptations required on IS when the enterprise changes. However, in industrial scale projects BP Models are large and complex. This hinders the understanding of the required BPs in the light of the current ones. This paper draws from our experience with an actual change project that this issue can be dealt with by abstracting BP models. The paper proposes a methodological framework organizing analysis into several levels. At the highest level, the framework proposes to use an abstract formalism called MAP, which helps synthesizing BP goals and strategies Our expectation is that MAP facilitates analysis of change with traditional BP models. A process is also proposed to conduct the analysis of BP change and IS adaptation starting with MAP. The resulting method was applied in an industrial case study and the framework criticized. The lessons learned from this experiment are fourfold: (i) the methodological framework is effective although it needs more explicit links between models, (ii) the understanding and organization of BP models is made easier by the usage of the more abstract MAP models, (iii) modeling with MAP helps making more complete BP models, and (iv) the multiplication of models in an IS adaptation project burdens the complexity of their management.