Abstract
The article is devoted to developing a methodological support for planning Design Science (DS) research projects. More exactly, it is aimed at developing a classification of a particular kind of cycles, inherent to DS research projects, and guidelines on how to choose the next cycle in a specific project. The classification and guidelines are based on results from an analysis of DS literature and a reflective analysis of our own research practice. As far as own research practice is concerned, two DS projects have been analyzed in detail. The analysis revealed that though both projects included cycles, the nature of these cycles was different. In the first project, cycles concerned finding a better problem to solve, while in the second project, cycles concerned finding a better solution for more or less the same problem. Both projects concern developing methodologies in the area of socio-technical systems, and the guidelines on how to choose the next cycle have special provisions related to such systems. In conclusion, the article presents examples of other projects that followed the suggested guidelines and discusses the difference of the suggested approach from other approaches to conduct DS research projects.
Highlights
We start this article with referring to the work of [1]
As was explained in the previous sections, cycling through different problems in our first project was not part of a plan, but was forced by us being unable to continue with the initial problem and local practice in which it was detected
We can suggest that a Design Science (DS) project might benefit if a search for the “best problem” is initiated intentionally, becoming part of the project plan
Summary
We start this article with referring to the work of [1]. Written in 2010, it gives a retrospective view on the IS discipline in the previous 25 years and tries to draft its path for the 25 years. IS is trying to establish itself as a profession based on the science of artificial, in the sense of [2]. In many cases, IS is trying to establish itself as a discipline based on the natural science. Johannesson, “Just Finished a Cycle of a Design Science Research Project: What’s Next?” Complex Systems Informatics and Modeling Quarterly, CSIMQ, no. As has already been introduced, our work is connected to Design Science (DS) in two ways. It concerns planning and managing DS research projects. To be counted as a DS solution, or an artifact in the terminology of [4], [16], the solution should be of a generic nature, i.e. applicable to one unique situation, but to a class of similar situations, cf. Principle 1 of [19]
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