On the Influence of Collaboration and Visualization on the Outcome of Goal and Problem Modeling

Abstract

Participatory modeling is considered more effective for creating higher-quality enterprise models with broader stakeholder acceptance compared to traditional approaches. However, involving stakeholders directly requires more time and effort. To elaborate on the benefits, we conducted an experiment to compare the outcome of participatory enterprise modeling and traditional modeling, e.g., by interviewing stakeholders separately. We let groups of participants work in three different settings, varying the possibility of collaborating and working on a preliminary model. Considering the different conditions, we addressed the following research questions: 1) Do the models differ in size? 2) How well-elaborated are the models in terms of connections made between the elements? 3) Are the contributions of the various participants linked differently across the conditions? We found that collaboration slows down the process, which results in smaller models. Collaboration, however, leads to models that are better integrated. We found no evidence that visualization significantly supports the modeling.