Titulo Estágio
An Enterprise Architecture Approach to ISO 9001
Áreas de especialidade
Sistemas de Informação
Local do Estágio
DEI-FCTUC, AIRC
Enquadramento
ISO 9001:2015 (ISO, 2015a) is one of the most popular standards for the implementation of quality management systems. Based on seven fundamental principles, companies adopting ISO 9001 must follow a process approach to management and document their quality systems (ISO, 2015b). Therefore, process models, flowcharts, and procedures are commonly used in ISO 9001-certified organizations to describe their activities, inputs, and outputs. Moreover, the organization must continuously improve their processes and provide evidence of compliance in quality audits.
Processes are also one of the core elements of modern enterprise architectures (EA). An EA can be defined as “a coherent whole of principles, methods, and models that are used in the design and realisation of an enterprise’s organisational structure, business processes, information systems, and infrastructure” (Lankhorst, 2009). Providing high level descriptions of different organizational layers, EA languages such as Archimate can be used to extend process models, including multiple viewpoints and perspectives to integrate the (1) strategy, (2) business, (3) applications, (4) technologies, and (5) the architectural transformations (The Open Group, 2019).
This master thesis answers a recent call for more studies in the adoption of EA approaches to improve ISO 9001 quality management systems (Fonte et al., 2020). Interestingly, we could not find studies about the use of Archimate models in the documentation, improvement, and audit of ISO 9001 certified companies. Contributions in this field can be useful to the next revision of the standard. Moreover, preliminary contacts with IT companies allowed to confirm the interest of developing an “enterprise architecture approach” to ISO 9001 and test it in practice. Additional work is necessary to evaluate (1) the use of Archimate models to improve the description of quality information systems and (2) the impact of the EA approach in quality audits.
References
Fonte, D. M., Rodríguez, L. L., & González, A. G. (2020). Consideraciones teóricas para la mejora de los procesos con enfoque Arquitectura Empresarial. Ciencias de la Información, 49(3), 18-25.
Engelsman, W., Quartel, D., Jonkers, H., & Van, M. (2010). Extending enterprise architecture modelling with business goals and requirements. Enterprise Information Systems, 5(1), 9–36.
ISO. (2015a). ISO 9001:2015 Quality management system – Requirements. International Organization for Standardization, Geneva.
ISO. (2015b). Guidance on the requirements for Documented Information of ISO 9001:2015. International Organization for Standardization.
Lankhorst, M. (2009). Enterprise architecture at work (Vol. 352). Berlin: Springer.
The Open Group. (2019). ArchiMate® 3.1 Specification. Retrieved November 7, 2019, from https://pubs.opengroup.org/architecture/archimate3-doc/
Objetivo
The main objectives of this work are:
1. Literature review of enterprise architecture adoption in the context of ISO 9001 certification.
2. Develop a quality information system using Archimate language.
3. Test the enterprise architecture approach to ISO 9001 in an IT company (expected to be AIRC).
Plano de Trabalhos - Semestre 1
The main phases for the first semester are presented as follows (may overlap):
1) Research the state-of-the-art: ISO 9001 and enterprise architecture, ISO 9001 and Archimate.
Start: September 2020
Duration: 2 months
2) Study the quality management system of AIRC (company certification and software development practices) and develop initial models in Archimate.
Start: October 2020
Duration: 1 month
3) Identify relevant Archimate viewpoints for a quality information system and map its relation with ISO 9001 requirements.
Start: November 2020
Duration: 1 month
Results of the 1st semester:
• Understand the quality management system of the target organization and the quality practices adopted (for quality certification and for software development).
• Intermediate report.
Plano de Trabalhos - Semestre 2
The main phases for the second semester are presented as follows:
4) Development of EA models for ISO 9001.
Start: January 2021
Duration: 2 months
5) Evaluate the EA approach in the organization for (1) document the quality information system, (2) identify improvement initiatives, (3) evaluate product quality (AIRC software product line), and (4) use the models in a real ISO 9001 audit.
Start: February 2021
Duration: 2 months
6) Writing of the thesis and a scientific paper.
Start: May 2021
Duration: 2 months
Results of the 2nd semester:
• Scientific publication submitted to a conference or journal: Evolving to an enterprise architecture approach in ISO 9001.
• Final report.
Condições
The student will be integrated in the Information Systems group (ISG) of CISUC, Department of Informatics Engineering. A workplace and the required resources will be provided.
The student will have the opportunity to present the papers that are accepted at conferences, with expenses paid.
Observações
The field work is planned for AIRC – Associação de Informática da Região Centro, Coimbra. AIRC is ISO 9001:2015 certified and is a leading software provider for local government in Portugal.
The student will be engaged with the activities of ISG in a topic with major relevance for quality management. Therefore, this work offers an opportunity to strengthen the skills of IT consultancy and quality management in IT companies.
Orientador
João Barata
barata@dei.uc.pt 📩