A Tripartite Approach to Information Systems Development*

Abstract

Management information systems (MIS) development is a process in which a user's vague, ambiguous, informal thoughts are translated into precise, nonambiguous, formal systems specifications required for implementation on a computer. A variety of MIS development methodologies have been developed, many designed to model a business‐oriented MIS in which either function modeling or data modeling predominates. Yet many of these techniques are inadequate for modeling time‐dependent behavior of the MIS, particularly when the MIS involves asynchronous, concurrent execution of cooperating processes. This paper proposes a tripartite approach to MIS development in which descriptions of “what” the MIS is to do, and “how” it is to do it are more closely related to the actual system implementation than with traditional development methodologies. The technique is based on three independent modeling tools used in conjunction: data flow diagrams, Petri nets, and production rules. The methodology in the context of computer integrated manufacturing systems is illustrated.