A unified classification system for research in the computing disciplines

The field of computing is made up of several disciplines of which Computer Science, Software Engineering, and Information Systems are arguably three of the primary ones. Despite the fact that each discipline has a specific focus, there is also considerable overlap. Knowledge sharing, however, is becoming increasingly difficult as the body of knowledge in each discipline increases and specialization results. For effective knowledge sharing, it is therefore important to have a unified classification system by means of which the bodies of knowledge that constitute the field may be compared and contrasted. This paper presents a multi-faceted system based on five research-focused characteristics: topic, approach, method, unit of analysis, and reference discipline. The classification system was designed based on the requirements for effective classification systems, and was then used to investigate these five characteristics of research in the computing field.