Generic models: a new approach for information systems design

This article presents a new approach for the design of information systems. This approach is new in two ways: firstly it is based on the concept of generic system, which contains the common elements of an application domain; secondly it considers three types of actors. The computing engineer has to design the generic system which will be used for the design of all applications of this domain. The user-designer is an expert of the application domain and well knows the organisation which has to be computerized. The user-designer adapts the generic system to his specific needs by the use of derivation operations. The end user gets a totally adapted software for his daily job. The main advantages of this approach are a better appropriateness to the final user's needs and a design time saving thanks to the use of generic systems.