Modeling of Information Systems As Systems of Systems Through DSM

Information systems may be composed of dozens of software applications managed by different teams knowing only part of the whole system. During the evolution, the structure of information systems tends to become more and more complex. This opens the problem of understanding and managing the Information Systemlevel architecture where a software component is a whole software application. Wepresentthepreliminaryresultsofaprojectaimingatmodeling information systems as Systems of Systems via Design Structure Matrices (DSM). The information system is modeled as a matrix describing components (software applications) and connectors (relations between applications). The model, implemented with the Cambridge Advanced Modeler tool, allows us loading the matrix and visualize it as a graph of nodes and oriented arcs. Different classes of users maybeinterestedindifferentviewsofthemodel. Avieworiginates specific attributes of components and connectors. The tool allows us querying the model highlighting nodes and arcs of interest for a specific view. The case studies – composed of about a hundred software applications – consist of the information systems of a retail company and of an hospital.