Brudenell, John Francis (2007) Enterprise modelling: the key to successful business systems integration. PhD thesis, Victoria University.

Abstract

The Enterprise Modelling (EM) approach to systems design is followed to promote business information systems integration and a high degree of data integrity. This research reports on a comprehensive case study of one of Australia’s leading telecommunications carriers and service providers. The case study relates to the advent of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) into the Australian telecommunications market on 25 September 2001, a world’s first, real-time ‘Churn’ business process. Specifically, it reports on Service Level Agreement (SLA) and reporting performance of two similar systems evaluated in terms of accepted Information Systems Architectural Criteria. The researcher derived a number of architectural evaluation criteria from the literature, which provided insight into the ways of evaluating information systems. One purpose-built operational system, named the Mobile Number Portability System (MNPS) was designed and built using the latest object-oriented techniques and tools. The other system, named the Data Repository System (DRS) was designed using the EM approach. The MNPS failed to meet SLA functionality and reporting functionality. It performed poorly when evaluated in terms of accepted Information Systems Architectural Criteria. For example, the MNPS’ support of fundamental business rules was extremely poor. It should be noted that the SLA functionality was the most complex aspect of the system to design and implement, as it constantly changes according to the requirements of the Regulator (ACA). Hence, it was decided to build this functionality into a separate system, the DRS using a different approach based on EM. The new system was designed using this top-down approach. The DRS successfully met all SLA functionality and reporting functionality. It performed extremely well when evaluated against the Information Systems Architectural Criteria. The DRS significantly outperformed the MNPS confirming the claims made for the EM approach.

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