This paper aims to identify best practices for performing business and systems analysis in projects that are required to comply with Enterprise Architecture. We apply two qualitative research methods to study real-life projects conforming to architecture at Statistics Netherlands. First, a Canonical Action Research approach is applied to participate in two business process redesign projects. Second, we use Focus Group interviews to elicit knowledge about carrying out projects conforming to architecture. Based on this empirical research we present seven observations and ten best practices. The best practices point to the fact that project conformance is not only the responsibility of project members, but also of enterprise architects. Considering four levels of best practices (good idea, good practice, local best practice, industry best practice), we argue that our guidelines are located at the second (good practice) level. More research is required to prove or falsify them in other settings. 1

Abstract. This article presents a model for projects that have to adhere to Enterprise Architecture (EA) in order for their results to be aligned with the broader organization. The model features project artifacts (i.e. deliverables such as Software Architecture Documents), their mutual relationships, their relationship with EA, and the processes in which they are created and tested on conformance. We start with applying Activity Theory to show the crucial mediating role that artifacts have in projects and to identify and justify the new EA-related artifacts we introduce. We subsequently incorporate these findings and existing best practices in a standard systems development approach in order to create a practical model that projects can apply for EA conformance. This model features both new, dedicated EA artifacts, and well-known existing artifacts of which we describe the way they should conform to EA. Finally, two action research studies are used to empirically support the model.

Abstract. For the state-of-practice in software engineering to improve, industry needs to apply methods and tools from software engineering research. To enable industrial software engineers to select which results are useful for them, research institutions need to provide sound evidence about the effectiveness of proposed methods and tools in practice. Research methodology for empirical software engineering has not fully matured yet and no consensus exists on what is acceptable as proof in empirical software engineering. This paper describes what problems exists with current research approaches and proposes a research plan to improve insights in what standards need to be met by research methods. 1

Special interest groups or communities of practice are seen as important mechanisms for knowledge sharing in the knowledge management literature. However, there are few empirical studies of communities of practice in the software engineering field. This article presents an action research project in a small size software consulting company, where the organization of the learning activities went through three phases, where different models were tried out and evaluated. We discuss the models in relation to community of practice theory to explain the learning effect of the models. A flexible model for organizing knowledge-sharing seems to provide the greatest learning effect. 1.

ii This directed study aims to understand effects of the commercial use of an Open Source development model in software engineering, with relation to how the use of formal planning and leadership may impact volunteer participation. Commercial firms are increasingly using Open Source to develop products in order to maximize distribution, which leads to questions whether a hybrid commercial–Open Source development model gives the expected results. An Action Research method is used for this study. The researcher attempts to qualitatively study the Netbeans community through participation. Results from this study show that Netbeans development takes the form of an ordinary Open Source project, with no evidence of any underlying commercial development environment having a detrimental effect. However, results show that Netbeans may have failed to attract a large volunteer developer base. Results from the project may be useful for researchers seeking to explore similar concepts in Open Source communities. Experience presented here also constitute a reference for further Action Research interventions in such communities. iii iv Preface This directed study is the result of work done in the period August 2005 to

Any e-organization, whether it is commercial or governmental, requires a knowledge management support in order to achieve optimal performance. Many of the technologies that serve the operations of such organizations can also support knowledge management to facilitate efficient knowledge sharing and reuse. Thus, e-organizations should be at the forefront in the use of knowledge management. This paper examines systems of knowledge management used in large organizations. The limitations of traditional organizational schemes are examined, including the tie to the traditional pre-digital knowledge unit, the multi-page document. An action research approach is taken towards the question of how we improve upon traditional approaches using the technology available in conjunction with approaches arising from organizational research. A new framework is described where knowledge is packaged into objects and classified by organizational performance roles and goals. A prototype implementation of the framework was developed in order to test its feasibility. Evaluation of the prototype suggests that the system could result in a more intuitive organizational framework that enables workers to obtain appropriate knowledge support in a timely manner without the need for extensive search, and also facilitates greater reuse and sharing of knowledge.

Abstract. We present the application of the process workshop method to define revised work processes in software development companies. Through two empirical action research studies, we study the impact of company premises and goals on the execution and subsequently on the results of the method. We conclude that both premises and goals will influence the workshops, and suggest how the focus of the workshops should be altered to achieve better results depending on the context. We also strengthen previous claims that the process workshops are a good arena that fosters discussion and organizational learning, and that involvement in the workshops leads to higher acceptance and usage of the resulting process.

Abstract. In an action research study, we describe the application of the scrum software development process in a small cross-organizational development project. The stakeholders in the project report many of the benefits we have found in previous studies, such as increased overview of the project, flexibility and motivation. In addition, we have found that estimation can be challenging in cross-organizational projects due to the customer-provider relationship between the participating organizations. 1

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Summary: This paper aims to identify best practices for performing business and systems analysis in projects that are required to comply with Enterprise Architecture. We apply two qualitative research methods to study real-life projects conforming to architecture at Statistics Netherlands. First, a Canonical Action Research approach is applied to participate in two business process redesign projects. Second, we use Focus Group interviews to elicit knowledge about carrying out projects conforming to architecture. Based on this empirical research we present seven observations and ten best practices. The best practices point to the fact that project conformance is not only the responsibility of project members, but also of enterprise architects. Considering four levels of best practices (good idea, good practice, local best practice, industry best practice), we argue that our guidelines are located at the second (good practice) level. More research is required to prove or falsify them in other settings.