Type of Publication: Article in Collected Edition

The Power/Generality Trade-Off in Decision and Problem Modeling - Theoretical Background and Multi-Level Modeling as a Resolution

Author(s):

Bock, Alexander

Title of Anthology:

Exploring Modelling Methods for Systems Analysis and Development (EMMSAD 2018). 23rd International Conference, Held at CAiSE 2018

Publisher:

Springer

Location(s):

Tallinn, Estonia

Publication Date:

2018

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-91704-7_14

Link to complete version:

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-319-91704-7_14

Citation:

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Abstract

A central conflict in decision and problem solving support is known as the ‘Power/Generality’ trade-off. The incorporation of a high level of domain-specific concepts and mechanisms in a decision instrument will increase the instrument’s power but will do so at the cost of the instrument’s generality. This paper has two purposes. First, it brings to attention the power/generality conflict in conceptual decision and problem solving modeling, and it demonstrates the resultant problems in relation to an existing enterprise decision modeling language. Second, the paper proposes the use of a multi-level modeling paradigm as a possible resolution of the conflict, and it proposes concrete re-conceptualizations for an existing modeling language to alleviate the associated problems.