Title: Recovering existing service design through reverse engineering approach

Authors: Henri Karppinen; Janne Huiskonen; Kaisa Seppänen

Addresses: Department of Industrial Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' Department of Industrial Management, Supply Chain and Operations Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland ' Department of Industrial Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, P.O. Box 20, FI-53851 Lappeenranta, Finland

Abstract: The paper introduces a procedure for recovering the service design in existing service systems, based on reverse engineering methodology. The complete procedure for planning a reverse engineering procedure, implementing it and analysing the results is presented. The main objective in the methodological approach is to map the service based on real implementation. The methodology and the reverse engineering tool approach are based on a review of forward engineering methods in services, and designing services and reverse engineering implementations in computer and information systems. The implementation of the framework is demonstrated in an empirical service system consisting of human, material and information elements. The main findings of the study concern analysing the existing service system, how the existing service system includes various types of service designs, and how higher level abstractions of the service system reveal new insights into the system.

Keywords: reverse engineering; service components; service design framework; service design recovery; existing service design; service business; services.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2013.052480

International Journal of Business Excellence, 2013 Vol.6 No.2, pp.214 - 230

Published online: 30 Oct 2013 *

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