Objetivo The FAOR project aimed to develop a methodology to identify and evaluate the requirements which determine the design of office systems set up to achieve particular organisational objectives. The main aims were to: -Develop and validate a methodology for understanding a client's objectives in improving the operation of their office. -Apply the methodology, adapted for each client study and based on an understanding of the client's objectives, to assist the client in understanding the task in hand. -Determine the client's IT requirements in order to improve their ability to meet their objectives. -Develop a cost-benefit analysis method able to clearly and concisely demonstrate both the tangible and intangible costs and benefits to clients of alternative IT options. -Develop a generic model of the office, together with a means of tailoring the model to reflect specific office categories. In the pre-analysis phase this helped synthesise a tailored version of the generic methodology. -Define a formal approach to multi-client surveys. This involved the determination of mechanisms for abstracting, from a number of client studies, a generic or multi-client view of IT requirements. (These requirements could have been used to plan researc h and development for future IT products, though such product planning did not, however, form part of the FAOR project.)The project aimed to develop a methodology to identify and evaluate the requirements which determine the design of office systems set up to achieve particular organisational objectives.Several different methodological and modelling components were brought together to form a comprehensive approach to the analysis of information technology (IT) requirements. This approach was structured around a loose procedural framework of analytical activities called the activity framework. The main activities were: office exploration, method tailoring, and requirements analysis and evaluation. The soft system methodology (SSM) was employed as a general framework for coordinating the analytical activities and as a conceptual basis for determining requirements for changing the office organization.A generic office frame of reference (GOFOR), supported by a library of perspectives, was developed. This made it easier to understand the different office perspectives and assist in the client specific tailoring of models and methodologies. GOFOR contains the reference base of office knowledge structured as multiple perspectives and formally described with the aid of Petri nets. Various instruments provided tools, techniques and applications guidelines for the practical application of the multiple perspectives in a client investigation. A benefits analysis framework was also produced to support the evaluation of requirements and changes represented by a proposed office system.FAOR drew together several different methodological and modelling components to form a comprehensive approach to the analysis of IT requirements. This approach was structured around a loose procedural framework of analytical activities called the Activity Framework. The main activities were: office exploration, method tailoring, and requirements analysis and evaluation. FAOR employed the Soft System Methodology (SSM), developed by Peter Checkland, as a general framework for coordinating the analytical act ivities and as a conceptual basis for determining requirements for changing the office organisation. A Generic Office Frame of Reference (GOFOR), supported by a library of perspectives, was developed. This made it easier to understand the different office perspectives (information, function, task, communication, resource, time and personnel) and assist in the client-specific tailoring of models and methodologies. GOFOR contains the reference base of office knowledge structured as multiple perspectives and formally described with the aid of Petri-nets. Various instruments provided tools, techniques and applications guidelines for the practical application of the multiple perspectives in a client investigation. A benefits analysis framework was also produced to support the evaluation of requirements and changes represented by a proposed office system. Practical evaluation of the methodology was aided by a field study at Essex County Council in England. Exploitation A comprehensive final report covering the whole FAOR approach and including extensive application guidelines has been published as a book. The results of the project were further developed in project projects 813, TODOS, and 1030, IT-UPTAKE. Ámbito científico natural sciencesmathematicspure mathematicsmathematical analysisfunctional analysis Programa(s) FP1-ESPRIT 1 - European programme (EEC) for research and development in information technologies (ESPRIT), 1984-1988 Tema(s) Data not available Convocatoria de propuestas Data not available Régimen de financiación Data not available Coordinador BNR Europe Ltd Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección London Road CM17 9NA Harlow Reino Unido Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Participantes (3) Ordenar alfabéticamente Ordenar por aportación de la UE Ampliar todo Contraer todo Gesellschaft für Mathematik und Datenverarbeitung mbH Alemania Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección 5205 SANKT AUGUSTIN Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos THE EAST ASIATIC COMPANY LTD Dinamarca Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección SUNDKTROSGADE, 10 P.O. Box 818 2100 KOEBENHAVN 0 Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos Universität Köln Alemania Aportación de la UE Sin datos Dirección Universitätsstraße 45 50931 Köln Ver en el mapa Coste total Sin datos