winffww@dutrun.UUCP (Folkert W. Wierda) (06/09/89)
P I am doing research on the usability of a modelling tool in designing interorganizational information systems. This tool permits interactive modelling through graphical interface, and interactive simulation. The theoretical concepts that underly this tool are that human decision makers make decisions bases among others on a conceptual model of a part of the world that is concerned. In interorganizational information system design several decision makers have to come to terms about e number of decisions. Therefore their indivudual conceptual models will have to have at least a number of similar concepts, and a similar structure. Based on a number of case studies I have performed, one of my hypotheses is that a number of problems in developing interorganizational information systems result from the inability to create a joint conceptual model. This inability causes an inability to formulate joint goals. The above mentioned tool is an attempt to support the creation of such a joint conceptual model. The implicit assumptions that underly the support tool are that: 1. Looking at models of the real world that show a great deal of resemblance with this real world - a boat is presented as a picture of a boat, a train is presented as a picture of a train, the background is tha map of a particular city, or of a particular building, etc. - will effect shifts of individual conceptual models that show convergence; 2. Interacting (playing) with models of the real world, changing structures, adding or deleting "objects", changing parameters of objects, changing the behaviour of "objects", will effect shifts of individual conceptual models that show convergence; 3. Once the individual conceptual models of a part of that world, in which an information system is to be developed, have a certain amount of similarity (same borders of the system under consideration, same object types and same main instances of object types, same structure of interaction among the object types) joint goals can more easily be formulated. At this point my research stops. Now my questions: - Does anyone know of empirical research on the topic of conceptual modelling by individuals or by groups; - Does anyone know of empirical research that examines the effects of different types of presentations - e.g. mathematical equations, textual models, schema's, demonstrations in the real world it self, film/video, computer simulation/animation, etc. - on human cognition / conceptual models; - Does anyone know of empirical research on the impact of interaction - e.g. discussion, trial and error, what-if attempts, etc. - on human cognition / conceptual models. Please send reactions via E-mail directly to me. Reactions will in a few weeks be submitted to this same discussion area. Thanks in advance. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Folkert W.Wierda WINFFWW@HDETUD1.BITNET Delft University of Technology WINFFWW@DUTRUN.UUCP Department of Information Systems ----------------------------------------------------------------