Information Technology Research PDF

Chapter 2 Information Technology Research Introduction In this chapter, we dissect and situate the Information Technology (computer science, Information System, Software engineering and cybersecurity) research disciplines, to assist new researchers to understand how to f...

Chapter 2 Information Technology Research Introduction In this chapter, we dissect and situate the Information Technology (computer science, Information System, Software engineering and cybersecurity) research disciplines, to assist new researchers to understand how to focus their research efforts. New researchers need to understand the distinction between CS, SE, IS and CY research enquiries, as well as how they interplay with each other. There are subtle differences, intersections and overlaps Distinction between CS,SE,IS and CY research CS research leans more towards scientific investigations using complex mathematical theories and proofs, to solve problems or to provide answers to questions IS research, on the other hand, tends towards an application of CS to solving real- world problems concerning business, government or society. software engineering applies scientific and mathematical principles to the building, designing and implementation of hardware and software programs CY study is concerned with new knowledge in improving and/or developing products relevant to digital security, safety and privacy. CS Research Researchers in this field concentrate on new theories, hypotheses and concepts, using advanced mathematics, algorithms and data structures to invent new approaches that can enhance the internal processes of computing, in an attempt to improve performance and efficiency. research efforts in postgraduate degree programmes includes: bioinformatics, data mining, database design, graphics and visualization, natural language processing, medical imaging analysis, high-performance computing, human-computer interaction (HCI), networks, distributed systems, quantum computing as well as robotics, machine learning and artificial intelligence and software engineering theory. Next Figure depicts the mapping of the CS research domain Mind map Note that a research group can use mind mapping to frame and scope the researchable areas A mind map is a visual tool that conceptualizes and structures our thoughts in an attempt to develop new ideas and graphically represents the ideas, discussed in more detail in Chapter 4. Free tools: - For example : https://nicemind.top/ - 10 Best Mind Mapping Software In 2023 (Top Selective) - 10 Best Mind Mapping Software in 2023 (Top Selective) (softwaretestinghelp.com) Conceptualization of Computer Science Research. What is the difference between Information System and Software engineering? Is information systems the same as software engineering? In information systems, you will usually be using software someone else created to accomplish your job. As a software engineer you will usually be creating software as your job. The definitions are not pure. Companies can call the exact same thing different names. Conceptualization of Software engineering and IS research IS Research The field of information systems interconnects business operations and computer science, focusing on solving real-time business problems if IS research is viewed from the context of a business environment, it encompasses the organization, processes, people and technology Conceptualization of IS Research Cybersecurity (CY) Research Organizations are increasingly dependent on cyber-infrastructure Increasing cyber vulnerability, making the related field of cybersecurity a major field of study. artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics, making security challenges increase exponentially cybersecurity research is taking interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches in attempts to study the technological, security, safety and privacy phenomena Cybersecurity research is relevant in organizational contexts and relates to both CS, IS, SE and CY research in particular ways. Next Figure illustrates the conceptualization of CY research, showing a typical mind mapping of contemporary research thinking and the interrelationships among key research themes. Conceptualization of Research in Cybersecurity Continue... Cybersecurity research can be qualitative, quantitative or a combination of the two, namely, a mixed methods approach. Assessment of cyber risks can use a quantitative approach to estimate the risk factors but use qualitative design and analysis to evaluate the threat factors. Cybersecurity should not be seen from the prism of technology alone, rather organization, process, people and governance (management, policy, law and regulation, business ethics, organizational ethics) are all vital elements of cybersecurity. Due to the global nature of cybersecurity and cybercrime, the law discipline has also become a necessary component of cybersecurity research. Another vital element of cybersecurity research is the focus on risk and resilience, which requires continuous research study to find better ways to ensure the security and safety of cyber infrastructure and other assets.  cybersecurity maturity models must be designed and applied in ways that enable cybersecurity controls to promote resilience and maturity, for proactive security, as opposed to reactive security The Intersection of CS, IS, SE and CY Research IS research concentrates on the use of products, concepts and theories developed by computer science, Computer scientist seeking to push the limits of computing knowledge to develop new more relevant theories needs to understand how established theories and concepts attempted to solve technology-related business challenges and what the effects were in practice. The above statement attempts to correct a common misunderstanding that computer science research relates to the professional use of computing technology. Rather, it is IS research that relates to everyday computer use. Mapping of CS, IS and CY Relationships Next figure depicts the mapping of relationships of the three disciplines to each other, illustrating some of the intersections and variances Continue … Multidisciplinary research examines a phenomenon from the perspective of two or more disciplines (but not so many that it makes the work cluttered or impossible to pursue) Interdisciplinary research searches for the niches, new insights and new fields of knowledge exploration at the points where disciplines overlap, rather than trying to stretch insight and analysis across disciplines. in the field of cybersecurity, multidisciplinary research could involve topics that include a technological (software engineering) and a regulatory perspective (law and engineering) Continue … Interdisciplinary research would focus on the design of an integrated cybersecurity framework to use computational mathematics and other techniques in computer science to predict and respond to cybersecurity breaches noting the above figure is just a way of enabling our thinking Insight suggests that the practice of CY research cuts across many more disciplines than CS research Insight suggests that the practice of CY research cuts across many more disciplines than CS research Continue … Also the above Figure suggests that the practice of CY research cuts across many more disciplines than CS research. In practice, there exist even more intersections of CS, IS, SE and CY research than are presented in the above Figure A good example of intersection is an Internet of Things (IoT) usability study, which can span CS, IS, SE and CY. However, research on IoT can also be addressed from only one of the perspectives of CS, IS or CY, depending on the issues or problems. Continue … Preferably, researchers in the IS and CY fields will need to study and understand the fundamentals of CS to situate particular research problems researcher in cybersecurity needs to gain extensive background knowledge of applicable theories, concepts …… Cybersecurity researchers must also become familiar with their particular sector of application, whether banking and finance or public health, or ecommerce. Summary CS research concentrates on finding new computing theories, concepts and paradigms to continuously advance computing experience and efficiency IS research puts these new ideas in the context of the organization, technology, process, people and governance CY research seeks to find new ways to improve security, safety and trust in the context of the organization, technology, process, people and governance CS research may require an interdisciplinary approach; however, IS and CY research must use interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches HOMEWORK - 1 Interesting Topic in Computer Science Please describe two topics of interest in Computer Science, one in your area of research and one related to metaverse but outside your area of research. Each paragraph should have three components: Title reflecting the topic, not just area of research. You can take a look at how paper titles are constructed to get an idea about how to write the titles for your paragraphs. Clear and short explanation of the topic, understandable to a broader CS audience. A short description of the reason you find the topic interesting. The reason could be related to the impact you want to create, inspiration from the past, what you enjoy doing or thinking about, or other reasons you find the topic interesting. The total length of your response should be less than one page, reasonably formatted like a conference or journal paper. We expect your writing to be polished like a paper submission. It typically takes one or two hours to edit one page of text.  Submission Please submit your HW as a word on Moodle. Designing the Research Proposal Next….