ME – Summary papers
(Brinkkemper, 1996) Method Engineering: engineering of information systems
development and tools ........................................................................................... 2
Situational methods ............................................................................................ 3
(Ralyté et al., 2003) Towards a Generic Model for Situational Method Engineering ......... 3
Assembly-Based Process Model for Situational Method Engineering ........................... 4
Extension-Based Method Engineering .................................................................... 5
Paradigm-Based Method Engineering .................................................................... 5
(Goldine & Konig, 1985) A Technical Overview of the Information Resource Dictionary
System. ............................................................................................................... 6
(van de Weerd et al., 2010) Incremental method evolution in global software product
management. A retrospective case study. ................................................................ 7
(Hong et al., 1993) A Formal Approach to the Comparison of Object-Oriented Analysis and
Design Methodologies. ........................................................................................... 7
(Vlaanderen et al., 2012) On the Design of a Knowledge Management System for
Incremental Process Improvement for Software Product Management ......................... 8
(van de Weerd et al., 2007) Developing a Reference Method for Game Production by
Method Comparison ............................................................................................... 9
(Brinkkemper et al., 1999) Meta-modelling based assembly techniques for situational
method engineering............................................................................................. 10
Guidelines for method assembly ......................................................................... 11
(Harmsen et al. 1994) Situational Method Engineering for Information System Project
Approaches ........................................................................................................ 11
The situational method spectrum ........................................................................ 12
CAME .............................................................................................................. 12
(Luinenburg et al., 2008) Designing Web Content Management Systems Using the Method
Association Approach ........................................................................................... 13
(Rolland et al., 1999) A Multi-Model View of Process Modelling.................................. 15
(Rossi et al., 2004) Managing Evolutionary Method Engineering by Method Rationale .. 15
(van de Weerd et al., 2007) Concepts for Incremental Method Evolution: Empirical
Exploration and Validation in Requirements Management ......................................... 18
1
,(Brinkkemper, 1996) Method Engineering: engineering of
information systems development and tools
Explains situational methods, gives an example of a method engineering-tool and language
and definitions of: 1) Method, 2) Technique, 3) Tool, 4) Methodology of information
systems development, and 5) Method engineering. These definitions are also given in the
slides though.
1) Method: A method is an approach to perform a systems development project,
based on a specific way of thinking, consisting of directions and rules, structured
in a systematic way in development activities with corresponding development
products.
a. Methods are usually described in textbooks and manuals giving the step-
wise structuring of the development activities and the structural
requirements for the deliverables.
2) Technique: A technique is a procedure, possibly with a prescribed notation, to
perform a development activity.
a. A technique should also embody the procedural aspects, not only the
representational aspects. Techniques can be classified to the degree of
formality of the notation, or to the type of development activity it supports.
3) Tool: A tool is a possibly automated means to support a part of a development
process.
a. Some tools support a couple of different notations, whereas other provide
assistance to the whole development life-cycle.
4) Methodology of information systems development: is the systematic description,
explanation, and evaluation of all aspects of methodical information systems
development.
a. The term is restricted to scientific theory building about methodical
information systems development. All research activities contribute to this
methodology.
5) Method engineering: Method engineering is the engineering discipline to design,
construct and adapt methods, techniques and tools for the development of
information systems.
a. Method engineering has links with other research areas, such as: project
management, software configuration management, software engineering
environments, software process modelling, and computer supported
cooperative work.
2
, Situational methods
A situational method is an
information systems
development method tuned
to the situation of the project
at hand. Engineering a
situational method requires
standardized building blocks
and guide-lines, so-called
meta-methods, to assemble
these building blocks.
Critical is the method base,
which holds the method
fragments. These are
distinguished in product
fragments and process
fragments.
Experienced method
engineers may also work the
other way around. Start with
assembling method
fragments and validating this
afterwards with the project
characterization.
A Computer Aided Method Engineering (CAME) tool which was in development at this time
was Decamerone.
A method engineering language which was in development at this time was MEL. This to
describe, administrate, select, and assemble method fragments.
(Ralyté et al., 2003) Towards a Generic Model for Situational
Method Engineering
This paper proposes a generic process model supporting the integration of different
existing SME (Situational Method Engineering) approaches. The generic model presented
in this paper shows how three SME techniques are contained in the model and how more
techniques could be integrated. These techniques are: 1) to assemble method chunks, 2)
to extend an existing method, and 3) to generate a method by abstraction/instantiation
of a model/meta-model.
There are two core intentions that the method engineer has in mind:
1. Set Method Engineering Goal (to identify the kind of method he/she needs)
a. Can be a method-based strategy: enhancement, extension, or restriction.
b. Or constructing a new method: From scratch strategy.
2. Construct a Method (allowing him/her to satisfy this goal)
a. Assembly-based strategy: select and assemble method component to
construct a new method or to enrich an existing one.
b. Extension-based strategy: extending a method with extension patterns.
c. Paradigm-based strategy: when a new fresh model must be constructed.
3
