Title: Challenges in collaborative modelling: a literature review and research agenda

Authors: Michiel Renger, Gwendolyn L. Kolfschoten, Gert-Jan De Vreede

Addresses: Faculty of Technology Policy and Management, Department of Systems Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands. ' Faculty of Technology Policy and Management, Department of Systems Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands. ' Center for Collaboration Science, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 1110 South 67th Street, Omaha, NE 68182, USA

Abstract: Modelling is a key activity in conceptual design and system design. Through collaborative modelling, end-users, stakeholders, experts and entrepreneurs are able to create shared understanding about a system representation. This paper reports on a literature review to provide an overview of the commonalities and differences in collaborative modelling research. We develop a framework of analysis and conduct a quantitative meta-analysis to understand the challenges in collaborative modelling. Next, we performed a qualitative analysis to further elicit these challenges and discuss requirements for tools to support collaborative modelling, using Group Support Systems (GSSs) or Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs). We found critical challenges in supporting the understanding and adoption of modelling rules, and in integration of sub-models and different perspectives of systems to achieve shared understanding visualised in a system representation.

Keywords: collaborative modelling; conceptual design; systems design; team modelling; group modelling; group support systems; interactive whiteboards.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSPM.2008.023686

International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling, 2008 Vol.4 No.3/4, pp.248 - 263

Published online: 07 Mar 2009 *

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