X. Franch and P. Soffer (Eds.): CAiSE 2013 Workshops, LNBIP 148, pp. 1–15, 2013. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013 Towards Self-development of Evolutionary Information Systems: An Action Research of Business Architecture Development by Students in Socially Networked Groups Mart Roost, Kuldar Taveter, Karin Rava, Jaak Tepandi, Gunnar Piho, Rein Kuusik, and Enn Õunapuu Dep. of Informatics, Tallinn Univ. of Technology, Akadeemia tee St. 15A, Tallinn 12618, Estonia {Mart.Roost,Kuldar.Taveter,Karin.Rava,Jaak.Tepandi, Gunnar.Piho,Rein.Kuusik,Enn.Ounapuu}@ttu.ee Abstract. We present a case study of business architecture development by students working in socially networked groups. In this case study we emulated a self-development of an evolutionary information system. The “client system” in this emulated project was medical laboratory information system. In the role of the “change agent” were students of two different specialties: medical technology students (one group) and IT students (another group). We describe the process and results of the first (finished) phase of strategic analysis where the initial business architecture was developed. Later on this business architecture will be utilized as a platform for (social, self-) development of business processes and software. Medical technology students (knowing the problem) played the business process owner/analyst dual role. IT students (knowing IT-related solution patterns for the problem and processes) played the business designer role. The relationships between (and inside) the two groups/communities were managed using Google Sites (social) software. Keywords: Enterprise Information Systems, Evolutionary Information Systems, Social Self-Development, Social Software, Action Research, Enterprise Architecture, Business Architecture, Methodology. 1 Introduction The global information society has given rise to dynamic networked organizations (NWO) and enterprises. NWO is a term that is used to describe a variety of new emergent organizational structures such as virtual and learning organizations [1, 2, 3], which operate and evolve on the level of information system (IS). We can use the term of NWO as a synonym for a “contemporary or future organization”. The success of such organizations depends on their ability to adapt to the environment and learn. In the process of organizational learning, organizations are restructuring many relationships internally and externally to respond to the demands of a shifting market [4]. Internally companies disaggregate into smaller units focused on well-defined market opportunities. Externally companies increasingly partner with other