A design framework for collaboration in systems of systems

Abstract

Many government and industry enterprises are growing in complexity and must provide solutions that address combination of many systems that make up the enterprise. Such solutions require a variety of stakeholders to agree on visions and collaborate to work towards achieving this vision. This work must combine the knowledge created in different stakeholder knowledge domains while being moderated by values and goals of other stakeholders. Such stakeholders often have differences in opinions which must be resolved through collaboration to lead to commitments and behavioral changes needed to achieve the vision. In many situations this is achieved by developing a policy that defines what is expected of each community. Information technology is increasingly suggested to support such policy processes to achieve satisfactory results in minimal time. The paper then proposes a framework for such policy processes using technology. It defines the process characteristics found in system of systems and defines the role structures needed to maintain sustainable collaboration. It describes a way for analysts to create a collaborative architecture that defines the roles and responsibilities of participants within the policy formation process and illustrates with some examples. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.