The Design Process in Information System Research

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2009 in the subject Computer Science - Commercial Information Technology, grade: 1,3, University of Frankfurt (Main) (Institute of Information Systems), language: English, abstract: The Information Systems (IS) research discipline is undergoing a serious identity crisis, seeking its sphere of activity to be relevant in practice and rigorous in scientific considerations. One reason for this is the strengthening of the Design Science approach. This new discipline developed as a synergy from aspects of engineering, architecture, and industrial design and is employed in the design of IT artifacts and software systems. Design Science is becoming a powerful trend in IS research (Vahidov 2006). It gives the IS discipline a new and more detailed focal point as pertains to the application of software and IT artifact development which is growing in importance in IS research over the time (Weber 2003; Orlikowski and Iacono 2001; Cross 2001). IS practitioners ask for new and innovative design approaches, dealing with the evolving organizational and inter-organizational tasks. The way these tasks are executed, in close cooperation with the practical business world, seems to be insufficiently considered. The debate in IS research is carried out between traditional scientists and the knowledge-producing researchers/practitioners and 'it could be argued that research aimed at developing IT systems, at improving IT practice, has been more successful and important than traditional scientific attempts to understand it' (March and Smith 1995, p. 252). IS researchers are mainly focused on the behavioral impact of new IT solutions within a business unit. These concepts are needed to describe the relationship between the humans and the technology. However, this way of conducting research is descriptive and evaluative. Instead of telling 'what is' or 'what will be', Design Science is giving guidance as to 'how to do' things (Walls et al. 1992). The importance of this new approach is given through the rapid development of business needs and the increased necessity to solve business problems through the implementation of IT solutions. The knowledge base for designing new solutions has not yet been fully developed. IT consultants borrow knowledge from reference disciplines and apply this knowledge to present problems. This way of providing solutions is not compatible with Design Science as an area of research. A relevant design approach needs to give new answers to phenomena thus far unsolved. However, the IS discipline has not yet established a solid groundwork for Design Science within its discipline.