The Relevance of Information Systems Research: Informing the IS Practitioner Community; Informing Ourselves

Abstract

Discussion of the relevance of Information Systems research to the practitioner community began in the 1990s. Though the issue has faded from top-tier journals, the problem remains. This article provides the first comprehensive consideration of the major papers relating to IS research relevance. It also recognizes that the problem of relevance is not one that is likely to be solved at the global IS level, or even the university level. Rather, the relevance of IS research ultimately will be determined by each individual researcher. To facilitate individual researchers’ progress in moving toward greater relevance, this research provides a concise plan of specific actions that are within the control of each individual IS researcher. These actions involve both how researchers attempt to inform the practitioner community about their work, and how researchers inform themselves about the concerns of practitioners. Several specific actions for improving the relevance of individual research are detailed.