The Modelling Journey
Part 1: Introduction to Systems Modelling
Introductions
Dr. David MillardSenior Lecturer of Computer Science University of Southampton [email protected]
Dr. Yvonne HowardSenior Research Fellow University of Southampton [email protected]
Part of the JISC Community Support Team
Objectives
“Model (noun): A simplified or idealized description or conception of a particular system, situation, or process, often in mathematical terms, that is put forward as a basis for theoretical or empirical understanding, or for calculations, predictions, etc.; a conceptual or mental representation of something.”
Oxford English Dictionary
• To widen the perception of what modelling is
• To demonstrate modelling techniques with a common example
• To illustrate the affordances of those modelling approaches, and how they connect together
Why a Journey?
Modelling is a spectrum of activity
• The soft• Portfolios of evidence• Scenarios and Personas• Systems Theory (SSM etc.)
• The hard• Universal Modelling Language• Business Process Modelling• EA Modelling
Why a Journey?
Modelling is a spectrum of activity
• The soft• Portfolios of evidence• Scenarios and Personas• Systems Theory (SSM etc.)
• The hard• Universal Modelling Language• Business Process Modelling• EA Modelling
CommunicationDecision Support
Technical SpecificationBusiness Intelligence
Evidence Gathering
• The first stage of modelling is to gather evidence
• This portfolio of evidence is itself a lightweight model• Used to communicate problems• As evidence for potential solutions• Useful to others as context
Evidence Gathering
• Documentation
• Stakeholder Analysis• Surveys• Interviews
• Ethnography
• Related Studies
Induction Policy
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Example: Induction Process
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Mission Statement
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Evidence Gathering
• Documentation
• Stakeholder Analysis• Surveys• Interviews
• Ethnography
• Related Studies
Induction Policy
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Example: Induction Process
SSLC Minutes--------------------
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Mission Statement
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Q1: what?Q2: why?Q3: when?Stakeholders
Primary: - - - - - - -
- - - - Secondary: - - - - - -
- - - Key: - - - - - - - - - - -
- - -
Evidence Gathering
• Documentation
• Stakeholder Analysis• Surveys• Interviews
• Ethnography
• Related Studies
Induction Policy
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Example: Induction Process
SSLC Minutes--------------------
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Mission Statement
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Q1: what?Q2: why?Q3: when?
Observation
Notes
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Stakeholders
Primary: - - - - - - -
- - - - Secondary: - - - - - -
- - - Key: - - - - - - - - - - -
- - -
Evidence Gathering
• Documentation
• Stakeholder Analysis• Surveys• Interviews
• Ethnography
• Related Studies
Induction Policy
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Example: Induction Process
SSLC Minutes--------------------
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Mission Statement
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Q1: what?Q2: why?Q3: when?
Observation
Notes
0900 - - - - - - - - - -
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1000 - - - - - - - - - -
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1100 - - - - - - - - - -
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1200 - - - - - - - - - -
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Stakeholders
Primary: - - - - - - -
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Induction at KCL
Induction at
Bolton
Scenarios and Personas
• Written Scenarios capture a person interacting with a system during a particular activity
• Accompanying Personas can capture the context of that interaction (motivations, concerns, priorities, etc.)
• Together they can help give insight into how different individuals experience a system
Scenarios and Personas
Induction Scenario
After students have registered at the centre the School of Arts and Media holds a welcome event where they are introduced to the course, given core materials and receive a welcome from library staff. The School then runs a two day induction workshop. During this time students are given a tour of the facilities by staff, and are introduced to their peers and personal tutor (one of the lecturing staff) at an icebreaking event. Their tutor then helps them to get to know one another a bit better by producing and sharing a professional CV. They also attend WebCT training and have talks and discussions on lifelong learning. After the workshop they engage in ongoing tutorials on topics such as diversity, personal planning and numeracy.
• A scenario is a narrative account of how a particular interaction unfolds• Easy to understand• But can be ambiguous
• A Persona helps to highlight key issues for imaginary (but realistic) participants
Scenarios and Personas
Persona: Louise
Louise is a new full-time student in the School of Arts and Media at Bolton University. She is confident of her own abilities, and excited about the new course. Louise took a few years out after college and is concerned about fitting in with younger students. Her accommodation is a few miles from campus, so she is worried about making friends and getting involved in social activities.
Induction Scenario
After students have registered at the centre the School of Arts and Media holds a welcome event where they are introduced to the course, given core materials and receive a welcome from library staff. The School then runs a two day induction workshop. During this time students are given a tour of the facilities by staff, and are introduced to their peers and personal tutor (one of the lecturing staff) at an icebreaking event. Their tutor then helps them to get to know one another a bit better by producing and sharing a professional CV. They also attend WebCT training and have talks and discussions on lifelong learning. After the workshop they engage in ongoing tutorials on topics such as diversity, personal planning and numeracy.
Scenarios and Personas
Persona: Tom
Tom is a Lecturer in the School of Arts and Media at Bolton University. He has worked at the University for over ten years, and is proud of their courses and facilities. Tom’s teaching load is very high, particularly in the first semester, and he is concerned that more pastoral activities (such as tutoring, skills training or induction) will have a negative impact on his time and workload.
Induction Scenario
After students have registered at the centre the School of Arts and Media holds a welcome event where they are introduced to the course, given core materials and receive a welcome from library staff. The School then runs a two day induction workshop. During this time students are given a tour of the facilities by staff, and are introduced to their peers and personal tutor (one of the lecturing staff) at an icebreaking event. Their tutor then helps them to get to know one another a bit better by producing and sharing a professional CV. They also attend WebCT training and have talks and discussions on lifelong learning. After the workshop they engage in ongoing tutorials on topics such as diversity, personal planning and numeracy.
Systems Thinking
Systems Thinking
The structure of the system (components, relationships) creates its behaviour, the emergent properties
Components with no structure have individual behaviour but no emergent properties
The system as a whole displays behaviour or properties that the individual components do not
Soft Systems Methodology
Systems Dynamics
Critical Systems Heuristics
Soft Systems Method: 7 stage
description
Construct conceptual
problem
Compare models with
problem situation
Get informationDraw pictures
Analyse problem situation
Conceive logical system
CATWOE
Debate with
actors
Actions for
change
Real world
Conceptual world
• a system• owned by Owner• to do What by Actor• by means of a Transformation
• (given the constraints of some Environment)
• in order to achieve X for Customer• Used when formulating definitions for a desired
system: • called a root definition because it describes the root or core
of the activity to be modelled• helpful when exploring the problem situation as a basis
for change
Soft Systems Method:
CATWOECustomers/clientsActorsTransformationWorld viewOwnersEnvironment
Soft Systems Diagram
Critical Systems Heuristics
• Heuristics – because it uses a framework to discover ‘boundary’ judgements • To build a reference diagram (Soft Systems Diagram) which
can provide a narrative for the evidence that is collected • Shows where evidence and information is missing or
unsupported
• Critical – because the framework encourages critical questioning of:• Legitimacy• Ownership• Assumptions• Motivations
Soft Systems Diagram:
name, boundary and ownerStudent Induction System
System owner ???
System Boundary
Student Induction System
System owner ???
New Students
Students prepared for learning
Beneficiaries & victims
Manager/Supervisor
Soft Systems Diagram:
inputs, outputs, beneficiaries and
victims
Student Induction System
System owner ???
New Students
Students prepared for learning
Beneficiaries & victims
Intro to Student Services
School Welcome
School Inductio
n Activitie
s
University Welcome
Programme
Induction
Soft Systems Diagram:
actors and processes
Student Induction System
System owner ???
New Students
Students prepared for learning
Beneficiaries & victims
Intro to Student Services
School Welcome
School Inductio
n Activitie
s
University Welcome
Standards ???
????
Student feedback
Retention rates
Manager/Supervisor
measurements
Corrective action
Programme
Induction
Soft Systems Diagram:
control sub-systems
Student Induction System
System owner ???
New Students
Students prepared for learning
Beneficiaries & victims
Intro to Student Services
School Welcome
School Inductio
n Activitie
s
University Welcome
Standards ???
????
Student feedback
Retention rates
Manager/Supervisor
measurements
Corrective action
webCt, Lifelong learning
resources
Health & safety
Legislation
Student sense of
belongingCohort identityStudent retention
Programme
Induction
Soft Systems Diagram:
resources, authorities, emergent
properties
Student Induction System
System owner ???
New Students
Students prepared for learning
Beneficiaries & victims
Intro to Student Services
School Welcome
School Inductio
n Activitie
s
University Welcome
Standards ???
????
Student feedback
Retention rates
Manager/Supervisor
measurements
Corrective action
webCt, Lifelong learning
resources
Health & safety
Legislation
alliances
conflicts
BeliefsValuesAttitudesMotivation
How can I increase student retention ? Everyone we lose
costs £££
Student sense of
belongingCohort identityStudent retention
Programme
Induction
I have so much to do already and now thaey want me to blog and measure
student satisfaction
Soft Systems Diagram:
alliances, conflicts, beliefs, values, attitudes,
motivations
Uni bid review
process
Soft Systems Activity
Scenario: Successfully responding to a JISC Call, and setting up a new project in a University context
Evidence:
Activity:
• Drawing on both the evidence and your own experiences create a Soft Systems Diagram of this process
JISC Call JISC GuideJISC Conditions
Uni Mission
Statement
Uni Best Practise Guide
The Modelling JourneyPart 2: Tools and Methods
Why a Journey?
Modelling is a spectrum of activity
• The soft• Portfolios of evidence• Scenarios and Personas• Systems Theory (SSM etc.)
• The hard• Universal Modelling Language• Business Process Modelling• EA Modelling
CommunicationDecision Support
Technical SpecificationBusiness Intelligence
UML
• Unified Modelling Language – created in the 1990’s by
• Is a visual language for developing software systems• it has syntax and semantics• It is not a programming language
• Two types of model• Structural
• What is in the system and their relationships• Behavioural
• Captures interactions in the system
• 13 types of diagram
Grady Booch Ivar Jacobsen
And othersJames Rumbaugh
Identifying Key Areas
• Use your systems diagram to help you to focus in on an area ( decomposition: breaking the problem into manageable chunks)
• You can choose to start:• At the beginning• Where the most need for change is• The biggest opportunity for improvement is
• Use noun and verb analysis to identify Objects ( nouns) and processes
Use Case Analysis
• Use cases model:• What the system should do• Who uses (benefits from) the system
• From the user’s point of view
• A Use Case captures a contract with the stakeholders of a system about its behaviour:• The Use Case describes how the system reacts to a request from a
primary actor in order to achieve a goal
• Use cases are essentially textual but have visual diagrams:• For each use case• A collection of use cases in a scenario (system)
• Use case analysis gathers different requests together
Use Case Analysis for Induction Tours
The use case Sign up for Tours will execute Display Tours
The use case Record Completed tours will execute Display Tours
Use Case Analysis for Induction Tours
The use case Sign up for Tours will execute Display Tours
The use case Record Completed tours will execute Display Tours
Both the Student and the School administrator will be able to Display tours
If a student’s results fall below a threshold mark, the school administrator will set up a literacy course for the student
Activity and Sequence
• UML includes other notations for describing how use cases relate to one another • (Or what is inside a use case)
• Activity Diagrams (workflow) • Show order and dependency
• Sequence Diagrams (communication) • Show interaction and communication
Activity Diagram
• Describes workflow• Start and End
states• Choice• Concurrency• Iteration
• Logical partitions• To aid clarity
Introduction Course
Need Librar
y Cours
e?
Library Course
[Yes]
[No]
Tutorials
Ice Breakers
CVs
Intro to WebCT
Activity Diagram
• Describes workflow• Start and End
states• Choice• Concurrency• Iteration
• Logical partitions• To aid clarity
Introduction Course
Need Librar
y Cours
e?
Library Course
[Yes]
[No]
Tutorials
Ice Breakers
CVs
Intro to WebCT
Introduction Induction
Sequence Diagram
• Describe interaction• Objects• Object Lifelines• Activation Boxes• Messages
• Often describe one scenario of interaction• UML notes for
clarity
Student SchoolStudentServices
Start of Year Enroll
Confirm
true
Student id
Sequence Diagram
• Describe interaction• Objects• Object Lifelines• Activation Boxes• Messages
• Often describe one scenario of interaction• UML notes for
clarity
Student School LibraryStudentServices
Start of Year Enroll
Confirm
true
Student id
Request Induction Schedule
Check Library
requirement
true
Induction Schedule
Student requires id for interactions with School
Interaction for Enrollment: Success Scenario
BPMN
• Business Process Modelling Notation• 2001 – Version 1, 2009 version 2 • Simple but expressive set of shapes for ease of
understanding
• For modelling workflows of objects triggered by events or messages
• Very similar to UML Activity Diagrams
• But unlike UML, BPMN can produce code that can be executed through a workflow engine• Either by its own transformation• Or by translation into Business Process Execution
Language (not yet a simple transformation)
BPMN
Enterprise Architecture
• A model of how a whole business fits together• Potentially broad and shallow• But capable of drilling down into areas of
interest
• Enterprise Architecture enables us to connect together models of parts of a business despite different:• Business areas• Modelling approaches• Complexity• Completeness
Student InductionWelcome NewStudents
Example: Archimate
Introduction Course
Workshop
LibraryCourse
Course Handbook
CVs
Tutorials
Ice Breakers
Intro toWebCT
Student InductionWelcome NewStudents
Example: Archimate
Introduction Course
Workshop
LibraryCourse
Course Handbook
CVs
Tutorials
Ice Breakers
Intro toWebCT
Start of new academic year
Student CV
Student InductionWelcome NewStudents
Example: Archimate
Introduction Course
Workshop
LibraryCourse
Course Handbook
CVs
Tutorials
Ice Breakers
Intro toWebCT
Start of new academic year
WebCT
Student CV
Student InductionWelcome NewStudents
Example: Archimate
Introduction Course
Workshop
LibraryCourse
Course Handbook
CVs
Tutorials
Ice Breakers
Intro toWebCT
Start of new academic year
WebCT
Student CV
Head ofSchool
Academic
Tutor
Academic
Student Librarian
Conclusion
• There is a broad spectrum of modelling• From simple to complex• From ambiguous to precise
• Many tools and methodologies• E.g. Stakeholder analysis, Personas and Scenarios,
Soft Systems Diagrams, UML, BPMN, Archimate
• Model for a purpose• Choose appropriate Formality, Complexity and
Completeness for your task
Next StepsObjectives:
• To widen the perception of what modelling is
• To demonstrate modelling techniques with a common example
• To illustrate the affordances of those modelling approaches, and how they connect together
InnovationBase.net
Mission Statement
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Thank YouDavid Millard and Yvonne Howard
{dem, ymh}@ecs.soton.ac.uk
Stakeholders
Primary: - - - - - - -
- - - - Secondary: - - - - - -
- - - Key: - - - - - - - - - - -
- - -
Persona: Louise
Louise is a new full-time student in the School of Arts and Media at Bolton University. She is confident of her own abilities, and excited about the new course. Louise took a few years out after college and is concerned about fitting in with younger students. Her accommodation is a few miles from campus, so she is worried about making friends and getting involved in social activities.
Induction at BoltonObservation
Notes
0900 - - - - - - - - - -
- - - -
1000 - - - - - - - - - -
- - - -
1100 - - - - - - - - - -
- - - -
1200 - - - - - - - - - -
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