Interactive analysis of agent-goal models in enterprise modeling

Abstract

Understanding and analyzing the needs of an enterprise in the early stages of a project requires knowledge about stakeholders, their goals, interactions, and alternative actions. Agent-goal models offer a way to systematically and graphically capture this information, even as it evolves through continued elicitation. However, the complexity of resulting models makes it difficult to evaluate the achievement of key stakeholder goals within a model without applying systematic analysis procedures. Existing approaches to agent-goal model evaluation focus on automated procedures, without explicitly promoting model iteration and domain elicitation. In this paper, the authors argue that "Early" Enterprise modeling requires analysis procedures that account for the incompleteness and informality of early agent-goal models, facilitating iteration, elicitation, and user participation. A qualitative, interactive evaluation procedure for agent-goal models is introduced, using the i* Framework illustrated. Case study experience and results of an exploratory experiment show the applicability of the procedure to early enterprise analysis. Copyright © 2010, IGI Global.