Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Quo Vadis, Design Science? – A Survey of Literature

  • Conference paper
Global Perspectives on Design Science Research (DESRIST 2010)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 6105))

Abstract

Design science (DS) is increasingly a popular approach for research with a problem-solving perspective. The literature on DS has exploded in the past few years creating a lively discussion emphasizing the balance between rigor and relevance in research, particularly within the information systems field. However, there is still inconsistency with regards to the terminology, the underlying philosophy and the strategy to follow when doing DS. The field(s) into which DS can contribute or in which it can be placed is also an open issue. The advent of special issues, tracks and conferences on the subject is a sign of this and perhaps a suggestion that it constitutes a field on its own. This paper reports a survey on the most influential literature on DS and provides an analysis of it in order to facilitate the discussion, clarify the terminology and contribute to making DS more actionable for researchers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Alexander, C.: The Timeless Way of Building. Oxford University Press, New York (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Baskerville, R.: What design science is not. European J. of Inf. Syst. 17(5), 441–443 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bayazit, N.: Investigating Design: A Review of Forty Years of Design Research. Design Issues 20(1), 16–29 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Benbasat, I., Zmud, R.W.: Empirical Research in Information Systems: The Practice of Relevance. MIS Quart. 23(1), 3–16 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Borgatti, S.P., Everett, M.G., Freeman, L.C.: UCINET for Windows: Software for Social Network Analysis. Analytic Technologies, Harvard (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bunge, M.: Scientific Research. Springer, Berlin (1967)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. Bunge, M.: Philosophical Inputs and Outputs of Technology. In: Scharff, R., Dusek, V. (eds.) Philosophy of Technology: The Technological Condition - An Anthology. Wiley-Blackwell, Malden (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cole, R., Purao, S., Rossi, M., Sein, M.: Being Proactive: Where Action Research Meets Design Research. In: 26th International Conference on Information Systems, Las Vegas NV (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cross, N.: Science and design methodology: A review. Res. in Eng. Des. 5(2), 63–69 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Cross, N.: Designerly Ways of Knowing: Design Discipline Versus Design Science. Des. Iss. 17(3), 49–55 (2001)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  11. Dobson, P.J.: Critical realism and information systems research: why bother with philosophy? Inf. Res. 7(2), Paper 124 (2002)

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  12. Dorst, K.: Design research: a revolution-waiting-to-happen. Des. Stud. 29(1), 4–11 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Finger, S., Dixon, J.R.: A review of research in mechanical engineering design. Part I: Descriptive, prescriptive, and computer-based models of design processes. Res. in Eng. Des. 1(1), 51–67 (1989)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Finger, S., Dixon, J.R.: A review of research in mechanical engineering design. Part II: Representations, analysis, and design for the life cycle. Res. in Eng. Des. 1(2), 121–137 (1989)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Gamma, E., Helm, R., Johnson, R., Vlissides, J.: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Reading (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Gmür, M.: Co-citation analysis and the search for invisible colleges: A methodological evaluation. Scientometrics 57(1), 27–57 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Gregor, S.: The Nature of Theory in Information Systems. MIS Quart. 30(3), 611–642 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Hevner, A.R., March, S.T.: The Information Systems Research Cycle. Computer 36(11), 111–113 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Hevner, A.R., March, S.T., Park, J., Ram, S.: Design science in information systems research. MIS Quart. 28(1), 75–105 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Hevner, A.R.: A Three Cycle View of Design Science Research. Scand. J. of Inf. Syst. 19(2), 39–64 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Hodgkinson, G.P., Herriot, P., Anderson, N.: Re-aligning the Stakeholders in Management Research: Lessons from Industrial, Work and Organizational Psychology. Brit. J. of Man. 12, 41–48 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Holmström, J., Ketokivi, M.: Bridging Practice and Theory: A Design Science Approach. Decision Sci. 40(1), 65–87 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Iivari, J.: A Paradigmatic Analysis of Information Systems as a Design Science. Scand. J. of Inf. Syst. 19(2), 39–64 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Indulska, M., Recker, J.C.: Design Science in IS Research: A Literature Analysis. In: The Proceedings of 4th Biennial ANU Workshop on Information Systems Foundations, Canberra, AU (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  25. ISI Web of Knowledge, http://www.isiknowledge.com

  26. Järvinen, P.: Action Research is Similar to Design Science. Qual. and Quant. 41, 37–54 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Klein, H.K.: Seeking the new and the critical in critical realism: déjà vu? Inf. and Org. 14(2), 123–144 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  28. March, S.T., Smith, G.F.: Design and natural science research on information technology. Decision Support Syst. 15(4), 251–266 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. March, S.T., Storey, V.C.: Design Science in the Information Systems Discipline: An Introduction to the Special Issue on Design Science Research. MIS Quart. 32(4), 725–730 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Markus, M.L., Majchrzak, A., Gasser, L.: A Design Theory for Systems That Support Emergent Knowledge Processes. MIS Quart. 26(3), 179–212 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Peffers, K., Tuunanen, T., Rothenberger, M.A., Chatterjee, S.: A design science research methodology for information systems research. J. of Man. Inf. Syst. 24(3), 45–77 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Piirainen, K., Kolfschoten, G., Lukosch, S.: Unraveling Challenges in Collaborative Design: A Literature Study. In: Carriço, L., Baloian, N., Fonseca, B. (eds.) CRIWG 2009. LNCS, vol. 5784, pp. 247–261. Springer, Heidelberg (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Purao, S., Baldwin, C., Hevner, A., Storey, V.C., Pries-Heje, J., Smith, B., Zhu, Y.: The Science of Design: Observations on an Emerging Field. Com. of the Assoc. for Inf. Syst. 23, 523–546 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Rittel, H.W.J., Webber, M.M.: Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sci. 4(2), 155–169 (1973)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Schildt, H.A.: SITKIS: Software for Bibliometric Data Management and Analysis v2.0. Helsinki University of Technology, Institute of Strategy and International Business, Helsinki FI (2002), http://www.hut.fi/~hschildt/sitkis

  36. Schildt, H.A., Mattsson, J.T.: A dense network sub-grouping algorithm for co-citation analysis and its implementation in the software tool Sitkis. Scientometrics 67(1), 143–163 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Schneberger, S., Pollard, C., Watson, H.: Theories: For Academics and Practitioners. Inf. Syst. Man. 26(1), 52–60 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Schön, D.A.: The reflective practitioner - how professionals think in action. Temple Smith, London (1983)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Simon, H.A.: The Sciences of the Artificial, 3rd edn. MIT Press, Cambridge (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  40. Vaishnavi, V., Kuechler, W.: Design Research in Information Systems (2004), http://ais.affiniscape.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=279 (Retrieved September 2, 2009)

  41. Vaishnavi, V.K., Kuechler Jr., W. (eds.): Design Science Research Methods and Patterns: Innovating Information and Communication Technology. Auerbach Publications, Boca Raton (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  42. van Aken, J.E.: Management Research as a Design Science: Articulating the Research Products of Mode 2 Knowledge Production in Management. Brit. J. of Man. 16(1), 19–36 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Walls, J.G., Widmeyer, G.R., El Sawy, O.A.: Building an Information System Design Theory for Vigilant EIS. Inf. Syst. Res. 3(1), 36–59 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Winter, R.: Design science research in Europe. Eur. J. of Inf. Syst. 17(5), 470–475 (2008)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Technology Management, Department of Industrial Management, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Skinnarilankatu 34, 53850, Lappeenranta, Finland

    Kalle Piirainen

  2. Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Department of Systems Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628, BX, Delft, The Netherlands

    Rafael A. Gonzalez & Gwendolyn Kolfschoten

Authors
  1. Kalle Piirainen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rafael A. Gonzalez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Gwendolyn Kolfschoten
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Information Management, University of St. Gallen, Müller-Friedberg-Strasse 8, 9000, St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Robert Winter

  2. Department of Information Systems, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

    J. Leon Zhao

  3. Institut of Information Management, University of St. Gallen, Mueller-Friedberg-Strasse 8, 9000, St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Stephan Aier

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Piirainen, K., Gonzalez, R.A., Kolfschoten, G. (2010). Quo Vadis, Design Science? – A Survey of Literature. In: Winter, R., Zhao, J.L., Aier, S. (eds) Global Perspectives on Design Science Research. DESRIST 2010. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 6105. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-13335-0_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-13335-0_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-13334-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-13335-0

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation