Steven Alter, Professor Emeritus at the University of San Francisco
Title: How six levels of enterprise modeling could help in visualizing applications and limitations of symbolic and sub-symbolic AI.
Abstract: The CFP for the HybridAIMS workshop presents the challenge of combining enterprise modeling with symbolic AI and non-symbolic AI in the development or operation of information systems. Work system-centric enterprise modeling (WSCEM) addresses that challenge across six levels that drill down from enterprise capabilities to roles and responsibilities of digital agents within specific activities. A new RAVC framework (Resources, Activities, and Value for Customers) can be applied in different ways across those levels. RAVC ideas imply a series of flexible analytical “lenses” that focus on a specific level but can be adapted for understanding work system and IS operation at other levels. Those lenses help in visualizing applications of both symbolic and sub-symbolic AI independently or in combination. Recognizing possible degrees of “smartness” at the various levels helps in describing the contribution of AI along multiple dimensions related to information processing, action in the world, internal regulation, and knowledge acquisition.
Bio: Steven Alter is a Professor Emeritus at the University of San Francisco. His experience as vice president of a manufacturing software start-up and author of four editions of an IS textbook led to development of the “work system method,” a flexible systems analysis and design approach that business professionals can adapt and use for their own understanding and for collaborating with IT professionals, consultants, and vendors. The underlying ideas were formalized as work system theory, which has been extended in many journal articles and conference papers over several decades. His continuing research aims to articulate a broader work system perspective that provides an integrated lens for discussing and analyzing sociotechnical and totally automated work systems. The overarching goal is to support the description, analysis, design, and implementation of IT-enabled systems of every kind that matters in business and society.