A framework for Design Science research activities

Abstract

Design Science (or Design Research) as a research paradigm has been underemphasised in IS research in favour of empirical research using the Positivist and Interpretivist approaches of Natural and Social Sciences. It also has not been very well integrated with other research approaches. The conduct of Design Research provides an excellent opportunity for the IS field to increase its relevance to practice in industry. This paper refines our current understanding of Design Research and its relationship to other research approaches or paradigms. It proposes a revised framework for understanding the activities of Design Research, which also relates Design Research activities to research conducted in other paradigms. The framework emphasises the role of theory building and the form of design (utility) theories, but also generalises on activities for evaluating solution technologies in either positivist or interpretivist frames.