Representation, Assessment and Improvement of Information Systems Architecture (1994-1998)
The RAISA Project was initiated at the University of Bergen in 1994 and later grew to a collaboration with the Norwegian School of Management and several industrial partners and collaborators. The project was lead by Assoc Prof Andreas L Opdahl at the University of Bergen and Prof Erling S Andersen at the Norwegian School of Management. Additional contributions have been made by several research students at the University of Bergen who have completed their theses in relation to the RAISA Project.
The RAISA Approach offers a position, a method, a representation framework, a modelling tool and an alignment model for representation, assessment and improvement of the information systems architectures of enterprises. Put briefly, the RAISA Approach guides representation of the enterprise's IS-architecture, its main organisational structures, and its main perceived strenghts, weaknesses, opportunities and threaths using the RAISA representation framework and supported by the RAISA modelling tool. This representation is then used for assessment and subsequent improvement of the IS-architecture based on the RAISA alignment model. As a result, the RAISA Approach produces a set of high-level IS-architecture principles to guide IS-architecture evolution in the longer term, as well as an IS-architecture plan and a model of a future "ideal" IS-architecture for the enterprise to drive efforts in the short term.
The RAISA Approach distinguishes itself from most other approaches to IS-architecture work in being specifically aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises. As a consequence, it is scalable, tailorable and encourages participative IS-architecture improvement processes. Instead of prescribing a universal remedy which is claimed to be suitable for any enterprise, the RAISA Approach advocates fit between IS-architectures and organisational structures such as goals and strategies, organisation, function and process structures, and the existing IS-architecture and IT-infrastructure. These, as well as other distinguishing characteristics of the RAISA methodology are described in the RAISA position on IS-architecture improvement.
The RAISA Method was developed in parallel with several case studies, industrial research projects and consultancies. Case studies contributing to the methodology have been carried out at a regional transport company, at a muncipal administration and at a regional college, all in western Norway, as well as at a national government office. An industrial research project using the methodology has been carried out at Norway Post, while consultancies contributing to the methodology have been carried out for The Bank of Norway, Telenor and ElTele.