Evaluation of a Meta-Modeling Platform for AR and VR Using the Example of ArchiMate

Enterprise models are often used to deal with the increasing complexity of enterprise architectures, but their potential is far from being fully exploited. One reason for this is that enterprise modeling is seen as an expert discipline. In order to further exploit the potential, enterprise modeling should evolve from an expert discipline to a common practice. By embedding modeling in everyday work practices, also non-experts in modeling become enabled to engage in the modeling process. Augmented reality can help to achieve this vision. Therefore, a meta-meta-modeling framework for augmented and virtual reality-based conceptual modeling has been developed and implemented in a prototypical tool. By conducting a design science research project, this work evaluated the prototype by using the example of ArchiMate. Subsequently, requirements for the further development of the platform were derived. The results showed that a subset of the ArchiMate standard was successfully implemented in the meta-modeling platform. However, the platform still needs to provide further functionalities in order to fully address the ArchiMate conformance requirements and to mitigate the weaknesses of the platform, especially in the area of usability. It can be concluded that the further development of the platform is crucial in order to offer it to a broader user group, and, therefore, to get closer to the vision of enterprise modeling evolving from an expert discipline to a common practice.