Introduction:

In this paper, the use of systems development as a methodology in information systems (IS) research is described and defended. A framework to explain the nature of systems development as a research methodology in IS research is proposed. Use of this methodology in the engineering field in general is compared with its use specifically in computer science and computer engineering. An integrated program for conducting IS research that incorporates theory building, systems development, experimentation, and observation is proposed. Progress in several application domains is reviewed to provide a basis upon which to argue that systems development is a valid research methodology. A systems development research process is presented from a methodological perspective. Software engineering, which is the basic method of applying the systems development research methodology, is then discussed. It is the authors' belief that systems development and other research methodologies are complementary and that an integrated multi-dimensional and multimethod logical approach will generate fruitful IS research results. The premise is that research contributions can result from systems development, experimentation, observation, and performance testing of the systems under development and that all of these research approaches are needed to investigate different aspects of the research question.

Background:

In some circles there is a concern about the legitimacy of the research aspect of information systems (IS) as an academic discipline. In particular, the value of system development as a research methodology has been questioned. The issue of what constitutes valid IS research can be answered by examining what constitutes research in general: its objectives and its methods. In Blake [6], research is defined as a "systematic, intensive study directed toward fuller scientific knowledge of the subject studied." The goal of research in IS is no exception. It is the purpose of this paper to show that an analysis of the objectives of IS research clearly demonstrates the legitimacy and necessity of system development as a research methodology. Looking at the literature in some detail, it can be seen that the objectives and methods of research are classified in various ways. The following are a few of the research classifications available.

Basic and applied research. Basic research involves developing and testing theories and hypotheses in response to the intellectual interests of the researcher, rather than for practical reasons. Applied research is the application of knowledge to solve problems of immediate concern [3,6]. 2. Scientific and engineering research. There is no logical distinction between the methods used by the engineer and those employed by the pure scientist. Both types of researchers are concerned with confirming their theoretical predictions. However, they differ in the scale of their experiments and their motives. In the engineering approach, the artistry of design and the spirit of "making something work" are also essential [18]. 3. Evaluative and developmental research. There are two research approaches directed toward solving problems: evaluative and developmental [1]. The developmental type of research "involves the search for (and perhaps construction or synthesis of) instructions" that yield a better course of action [1, p. 24]. Developmental research has largely been ignored by some researchers. However, without research efforts directed toward developing new solutions and systems, there would be little opportunity for evaluative research. A perspective in some research is that technology is often treated as a variable that is either present or not present. All technology is considered to be equivalent, which it is not! It is often assumed, for example, that all spreadsheets or word processors are equivalent in acceptability to the user.

Potential Benefits:

1. Theory building includes development of new ideas and concepts, and construction of conceptual frameworks, new methods, or models (e.g., mathematical models, simulation models, and data models). Theories (particularly mathematical models) are usually concerned with generic system behaviors and are subjected to rigorous analysis. Systems development in is research 95limit the applicability of the models. Because of the emphasis on generality, the outcomes of theory building often display limited practical relevance to the target domain. Relevance refers to potential insights and impacts on practical applications; this suggests that theory building or basic research contributes to the body of knowledge in a research domain but produces nothing (no system) that takes advantage of this new knowledge. Theories may be used to suggest research hypotheses, guide the design of experiments, and conduct systematic observations.

2. Experimentation includes research strategies such as laboratory and field experiments, as well as computer and experimental simulations. It straddles the gulf between theory building and observation in that experimentation may concern itself with either the validation of the underlying theories (looking backward along the research life cycle) or with the issues of acceptance and technology transfer (looking forward along the research life cycle). Experimental designs are guided by theories and facilitated by systems development. Results from experimentation may be used to refine theories and improve systems.

3. Observation includes research methodologies such as case studies, field studies, and sample surveys that are unobtrusive research operations. Observation is often used when relatively little is known and it is desirable to "get a general feeling for what is involved" in a research domain [59, p. 26]. It may help researchers to formulate specific hypotheses to be tested through experimentation, or to arrive at generalizations that help focus later investigations. Since research settings are more natural, more holistic insights may be gained and research results are more relevant to the domain under study. Researchers are expected to report sufficient contextual and environmental conditions of their research to enable other researchers to judge the limitations of the conclusions.

Security Concerns:

Nowadays, the concerns regarding security and privacy are growing among the users of technology. Considering that Cermati is a financial technology company, security is one of our main concerns when designing and implementing our system due to the amount of sensitive financial data we’re handling.

The idea of this article came from a coworker of mine our engineering manager, Michaela Nathania. She told me that she’d like me to share about information security to our engineering team, either by talking in our internal tech talk or by writing. I consider myself a better writer than speaker, and I think writing it down will allow me to deliver the message in a more scalable way for the long term. So here it is in the form of an article.

Security itself is a broad field covering the aspects of people, process, and technology. We’re going to cover some parts in the technology aspects of information security.

Security Risk Management:

A system is considered secure when it fulfills the requirements regarding confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Confidentiality: Is the read access to resources correctly implemented so that they can only be read by the authorized users?

Integrity: Is the write access to resources correctly implemented so that they can’t be written or overwritten without the consent of authorized users?

Availability: Are the resources guaranteed to be available for access by the authorized users whenever needed?

Conclusion:

Building a system in and of itself does not constitute research. The synthesis and expression of new technologies and new concepts in a tangible product, however, can act as both the fulfillment of the contributing basic research and as an impetus to continuing research. The important role played by systems development in the life cycle of complex research demonstrates its credibility as a research methodology. As just one of many available methodologies, systems development takes its place in a multi methodological approach to IS research.

References:

1. Ackoff, R. L.; Gupta, S. K.; and Minas, J. S. ScienJific Method. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1962.

2. Arden, B. W. (ed.) "What can be automated?" The Computer Science and Engineering Research Study (COSERS). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1980.

3. Bailey, K. D. Methods of Social Research. New York: The Free Press, 1982.

4. Basili, V. R.; Selby, R. W.; and Hutchens, D. H. Experimentation in software engineering.IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering SE-12, 7 (July 1986), 733-743.

5. Benbasat, I. An analysis of research methodologies. In The Information Systems Research Challenge, W. F. McFarlan, ed. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1984,47-85.

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