Examining the role of systems-of-systems in supporting digital transformation: a case study in disaster risk monitoring

Abstract

Emerging systems like wearable device environments, mobile apps, and sensors networks have been re-shaping and re-structuring the way of organizations and communities carry out their business processes and decision-making. These systems when designed as constituent systems within a System-of-Systems (SoS) present new and unique features that cannot be provided by any individual system separately. This may expand the comprehension of variables, enhance business analysis, and hence support digital transformation within an organization. However, a SoS often provides information and/or features that do not match organizations' needs, which in turn could hamper business tasks and decisions. Furthermore, there is not a clear understanding of the incorporation (or exclusion) of a constituent system into organization processes. This project proposal addresses these challenges by developing a framework for examining the role of SoS in supporting digital transformation. This framework will be built on two elements: 1) a holistic framework that describes social and technological effects when changing the constituent systems of SoS, and 2) a digital transformation strategy to support the institutionalization of SoS more aligned with business processes and decisions. For doing so, data collected in a case study within the Brazilian early-warning center will be utilized, analyzed and summarized. This framework will provide valuable implications for practice and research. In particular, as more data has been driving the life and processes of the organization, system engineers and managers will comprehend how new systems should be suitably incorporated into business processes and decision-making, as well as what are the formal and informal channels that may emerge to support the incorporation and/or institutionalization of technology. (AU)