Design Science Research Framework Research Articles

HCI-modelling for improving the clinical usability of digital health technologies

IntroductionDigital Health Technologies (DHTs) have been shown to have variable usability as measured by efficiency, effectiveness and user satisfaction despite large-scale government projects to regulate and standardise user interface (UI) design. We hypothesised that Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) modelling could improve the methodology for DHT design and regulation, and support the creation of future evidence-based UI standards and guidelines for DHTs. MethodologyUsing a Design Science Research (DSR) framework, we developed novel UI components that adhered to existing standards and guidelines (combining the NHS Common User Interface (CUI) standard and the NHS Design System). We firstly evaluated the Patient Banner UI component for compliance with the two guidelines and then used HCI-modelling to evaluate the “Add New Patient” workflow to measure time to task completion and cognitive load. ResultsCombining the two guidelines to produce new UI elements is technically feasible for the Patient Banner and the Patient Name Input components. There are some inconsistencies between the NHS Design System and the NHS CUI when implementing the Patient Banner. HCI-modelling successfully quantified challenges adhering to the NHS CUI and the NHS Design system for the “Add New Patient” workflow. DiscussionWe successfully developed new design artefacts combing two major design guidelines for DHTs. By quantifying usability issues using HCI-modelling, we have demonstrated the feasibility of a methodology that combines HCI-modelling into a human-centred design (HCD) process could enable the development of standardised UI elements for DHTs that is more scientifically robust than HCD alone. ConclusionCombining HCI-modelling and Human-Centred Design could improve the scientific progress towards developing safer and more user-friendly DHTs.

A case study of an immersive learning unit for German as a second language

More and more children and adolescents in Switzerland show serious deficits in their German language skills. In order to specifically promote the language skills of students with a non-German first language, special lessons in German as a second language (GasL) are therefore offered in addition to the regular lessons. The aim of this case study is to evaluate the impact of a pedagogically sound immersive virtual reality learning unit for GasL lessons, which offers students the opportunity to actively speak German and to demonstrate this in the context of two GasL lessons. The research design is based on the “Design Science Research Framework”. In this context, the virtual reality learning unit was designed as an innovative prototype (artifact) and iteratively improved. The design considered the didactic framework of the official curriculum as well as the eleven general design guidelines for virtual reality learning units in an educational context. The virtual reality learning unit was tested in a field experiment with five students each at an elementary school and at a secondary school. The students found the virtual reality learning unit as a whole attractive and motivating. But there are operational challenges and necessary prerequisites that have to be considered and created in order to pragmatically and sustainably integrate immersive virtual reality learning units into the existing GasL lessons.

Three cycles of mobile app design to improve HIV self-management: A development and evaluation study.

Employing three cycles of Design Science Research (DSR) to develop a mobile app 'ESSC (Excellent Self Supervised HIV Care)' to improve self-management among people living with HIV (PLWH). This study is based on the DSR framework comprising three iterative cycles. In the Relevance cycle, PLWH participated in a survey of mobile health (mHealth) experiences and needs. In the Rigor cycle, the information-motivation-behavioural skills (IMB) model was applied to foundations of the app, and HIV specialists verified the contents. Experts evaluated the heuristic system and the app quality with the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). In the Design cycle, ESSC was built on the findings of the other two cycles, and end-users tested the usability using uMARS. The contents of the app were developed based on user requirements. The IMB model led ESSC to supplement motivational components for self-management, which built five functions: information contents; health life records including mental and sexual health; interactive counselling with healthcare providers; setting health goals after watching videos; and my page for self-reflection. To reduce social stigma and promote acceptance of the information-driven app, we created animated characters with neutral and bright features. The HIV specialists evaluated content validity as highly appropriate. The MARS score by the overall raters was between 3-acceptable and 4-good: functionality, 4.38; information, 4.12; aesthetics, 3.96; engagement, 3.37; and subjective quality, 3.25. The DSR approach is effective for implementing usable and useful mHealth. The ESSC app would be feasible and contribute PLWH to retention in care.

Towards a design science research (DSR) methodology for operational excellence (OPEX) initiatives

PurposeDesign science research (DSR) is a structured approach for solving complex ill-structured problems in organizations through the development of an artefact followed by its validation. This paper aims to evaluate existing DSR methodology and propose specific accents to promote DSR for environmental, social and governance (ESG)-oriented operational excellence (OPEX) initiatives within organizations.Design/methodology/approachThis commentary paper is based on an abductive reasoning approach to evaluate and understand DSR and assess its effectiveness for developing solutions to typical ESG-oriented OPEX-based problems within organizations.FindingsExisting literature on DSR is reviewed, after which it is evaluated on its ability to contribute to the implementation of sustainable solutions for ESG-oriented OPEX-based problems. Based on the review, specific DSR methodological accents are proposed for the development of ESG-oriented OPEX-based solutions in organizations.Research limitations/implicationsThis conceptual paper contributes to the conceptual understanding of the applicability, limitations and contextual preconditions for applying DSR. This paper proposes an explicit and, in some ways, alternative view on DSR research for OPEX researchers to apply and further the body of knowledge on matters of sustainability (ESG) in operations management.Practical implicationsCurrently, there is limited understanding and application of the DSR methodology for OPEX-based problem-solving initiatives, as appears in the scant literature on DSR applied for the implementation of OPEX based initiatives for ESG purposes. This paper aims to challenge and provide accents for DSR applied to OPEX-related problems by means of a DSR framework and thereby promotes intervention-based studies among researchers.Originality/valueThe proposed step-by-step methodology contains novel elements and is expected to be of help for OPEX-oriented academicians and practitioners in implementing DSR methodology for practical related problems which need research interventions from academics from Higher Education Institutions.

Applying design research for cross-disciplinary collaboration: Experiences from a gamification process

This study explores applying design science research (DSR) frameworks to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration towards game development. It uses a DSR framework proposed by Peffers et al (2014) to integrate the knowledge and experiences of a cross-disciplinary research team and develop a game which gamifies the investment decision-making process of energy communities. The framework employed for this paper constituted five phases around problem identification, definition of solution objectives, artefact design and development, demonstration and evaluation. The iterative process of the framework allowed for gradual but incremental improvement in the outcome and the associated artefacts and sustained researcher collaboration. The resultant interactive in-person game required the participants (or their teams) to navigate through the complexities of the decision-making process in a community while considering factors such as information asymmetry, uncertain return on investments, time constraints, etc. The game was instantiated twice and was able to engage players effectively. Moreover, the post-game evaluation indicated that the players acquired learning about energy communities. The participants developed an understanding of the game only gradually and their engagement in the later rounds of the game. Three distinct investment strategies emerged from the two instantiations (diversification, focus on centralised options, or focus on decentralised options). The participants preferred to maintain a strategy rather than reacting situationally. This gamification experience, albeit applicable to this specific research context, shows that DSR frameworks can be successfully applied to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration because they allow for more flexible and iterative knowledge exchange. The post-game evaluation helped identify avenues for further improvements, such as focusing on incremental-iterative development of the output, expanding the flexibility and visibility of the game, involving a more balanced research team, etc. The contribution of this study lies in extending the discourse on cross-disciplinary collaboration by incorporating DSR frameworks and demonstrating the application of game-based learning beyond end-user application.

Deploying design science research in sparse resource settings: Some lessons from design projects in Tanzania

Design science research (DSR) has become a well-accepted research paradigm in information system research. DSR aims at solving people’s obstacles by creating solutions and thus bringing about human development. In this paper, we present lessons learned from design projects conducted in Tanzania since 2015. These projects focused on solving Tanzanian challenges in a number of sectors: street vending businesses, women traders, small-scale farmers, micro traders, and education. We reviewed six projects carried out in Tanzania using documentary review and open-ended questionnaires. The findings revealed how researchers reinforce the DSR framework, and the motives, challenges, and lessons learned from the application of DSR in sparse resource settings to inform future designs. The findings of the current study will help existing and future IT designers, policymakers, curriculum developers, researchers, and other information and communications technologies for development stakeholders to come up with appropriate solutions for inclusive development.

Applicability Of Design Science Research For Biomedical Engineering Research

The design-science paradigm aims to push the limits of human and organisational capabilities by generating new and inventive artefacts. The design science research framework includes engineering that applies science through the design process to solve challenges. The design process looks for a solution to meet the environment's needs. On the other hand, a research study results from a collaboration between design and knowledge base to answer a research problem. 
 The three principal cycles in design science research are the relevance cycle between the environment and the design phase, the design cycle within the design phase, and the rigour cycle between the design phase and the knowledge base. While it is most well-known in the engineering and computer science disciplines, it is also applied in biomedical engineering and bioinformatics. It is relevant in biomedical engineering because of the connection between research outputs and the issue of scientific rigour. Three cases are presented in this article to depict design science study in biomedical and bioinformatics research. For each case discussed, machine learning has a big chance accompanied by unique challenges. In conclusion, the design science paradigm can also be used in biomedical engineering research to ensure that knowledge is relevant and appropriately included in the research process.

The use of Design Science and Agile Methodologies for improved information systems in the Tanzanian Higher Education context

AbstractThere was no known effective approach to implementing information systems in Tanzanian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) because the requirements of users change frequently and HEIs vary in their requirements. Theoretically, the agile software development process and Design Science Research (DSR) could deliver software that suits such a context, yet no testing had been done priorly. Therefore, this study aimed on investigating the suitability of the combination of Agile Methodologies and the DSR in developing information systems for Tanzania's HEIs. The study used eXtreme Programming as one of the Agile Methodologies and the DSR to develop a timetabling software which easily integrates into the existing academic information system of the College of Business Education for better decision making. Likewise, the evaluation of the developed artifact confirmed that the resulting product raised the user satisfaction with the information system in HEIs. In this regard, the current study advances the frontier of knowledge on using the DSR framework and Agile Methodologies in designing and developing software in Tanzania's HEIs and beyond.

CURIE: Towards an Ontology and Enterprise Architecture of a CRM Conceptual Model

Companies face the challenge of managing customer relationships (CRM) in a context marked by a drastic digital transformation and unbridled evolution of consumer behavior, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The customer is more demanding, has access to the global market and interacts with companies through multiple digital channels, such as email, social networks, mobile apps or instant messaging. In this situation, the success of a CRM implementation highly depends on information technology and the applications used. To harmonize this new business context with the development of information systems (IS), a suitable CRM ontology and enterprise architecture (EA) is needed. While an ontology-based conceptual model provides a unifying framework, aids sharing and reusing knowledge, and facilitates communication within a domain, an EA-based model unequivocally describes, analyzes, and visualizes how an organization should operate from the perspective of business, application, and technology. The purpose of the paper is the proposal of CURIE-O, a CRM OntoUML UFO-based ontology, together with CURIE-EA, a CRM ArchiMate-based EA to serve business managers and IS specialists an updated unifying framework of reference in the CRM domain as well as a highly efficient tool to support application development and maintenance in this changing and increasingly digital context. Modeling has proven to be an essential element to achieve high-performance information systems. In order to apply the ontology and the EA proposed here, the authors developed a CRM task management application prototype that was implemented as a case study in a consulting company. The methodology followed was design science research (DSR), in order to design and validate the artifacts. Within the DSR framework, other complementary research methods have been used, in particular literature research, interviews and focus groups carried out with several hotel chains in Tenerife (Canary Islands). The main existing CRM models in the scientific literature have also been analyzed together with the leading CRM market solutions.

Personal learning environment toward lifelong learning: an ontology-driven conceptual model

ABSTRACT Presently, learning is more flexible, personal and has richer learning resources. In the digital era, students use digital tools in almost all aspects of learning, such as seeking information, note-taking, discussion and communication, which is in line with personal learning environments. Therefore, this study proposes a conceptual model of the personal learning environment. The design science research framework is applied as a research guide to guarantee that the proposed model is relevant to our research statement, and the model design is rigorously grounded in relevant theory and methodology. The researcher conducted a systematic literature review and content analysis of relevant articles to identify the components of the personal learning environment and then proposed an initial ontology-driven conceptual model. Activity theory is used as a qualitative framework for preliminary evaluations of the resulting artefacts. The proposed conceptual model comprises four dimensions, including personal, technological, organisational and social, as well as teaching and learning. The implications of the proposed model are to equip teachers, developers, researchers and policymakers in understanding the design and promoting personal learning environments.

Translating transparency into value: an approach to design IoT solutions

PurposeThis research proposes and demonstrates a framework that can be used to systematically address the idiosyncratic design of Internet of Things (IoT)-based solutions, and to match the explorative aspects of introducing a new technology to the exploitative needs, to improve the performance of production operations.Design/methodology/approachDue to the applied nature of this research, a design science research (DSR) framework was adopted in order to ensure both the rigor and applicability of the outcomes.FindingsA process excellence perspective, operationalized through a business process management approach, is applied to scope the solution space according to its exploitative potential. The mapping of the information flow that needs to be established defines the technological infrastructure of the solution.Research limitations/implicationsThe theoretical generalizability of the proposed framework is limited by a testing sample of a single case. The research implications are related to a call for the contextualization of IoT applications. Further research will involve the application of this approach to a diverse range of industrial settings. While the domain is far from saturated, a framework that can facilitate such investigations has been provided.Practical implicationsThe proposed framework provides practitioners with an approach to designing IoT solutions that can consistently address their needs for operational performance improvements.Originality/valueThis research proposes a framework that links the enabling of transparency via the integration of IoT in production operations to contextual characteristics and business potential. Furthermore, it highlights the developmental drivers of IoT solutions, which emerged during the empirical demonstration of this framework.

Assessment on Accuracy of Design Science Research (DSR) Framework as a Daylighting Measurement Tool for Islamic Religious School

Daylight efficiency correlates to window design. Guidelines recommend a 20 per cent window-to-floor ratio (WFR) at 900mm windowsill height, where acceptable 300 lx to 500 lx measured at 900mm working plane height. However, Islamic religious schools use a 300mm height table known as ‘rehal’. Studies neglect the difference in required working plane height that effect window design and the illuminance level. A study was established to propose Syaheeza’s Daylight Rule of Thumb (DRT) for Islamic religious schools. This paper aims to highlight the reliability of the methodology framework used in Syaheeza’s DRT, such as surveys, Arabic handwriting performance assessment and computer simulations. Keywords: Daylighting; Islamic religious school; methodology framework eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6i17.2877

DIL - A Proof of Concept Study to Show the Efficacy of Conversational Agents for Heart Failure Patients

There is an exceptionally high rate of readmissions and rehospitalizations for patients suffering from Heart Failure. Best efforts to address this alarming problem from the Caregiver community have fallen short due to a shortage of trained clinical staff, failure to perform necessary self-management, and money. Using a Design Science Research framework, this work designed and evaluated "DIL” (Sanskrit word for Heart), a Conversational Agent that complements the work of clinicians in achieving the desired behavioral and clinical outcomes. The aim is to provide the hospital with an information system that could bridge the current gap in care that occurs when the patient transitions from the hospital to the home environment. In a pilot study, we show that DIL was able to demonstrate the efficacy and utility as a tool to assist patients with heart failure in improving their self-care.

Electronic customer relationship management framework for Game Parks in Zimbabwe

Electronic customer relationship management (e-CRM) is acknowledged today as an obligatory concept of customer relationship management in the world of services. However, there is a lack of any clear e-CRM framework for Game Parks in Zimbabwe. Consequently, this study’s primary objective is to address a gap existing in research to gain an appreciation of the underlying reasons affecting the adoption of available e-CRM technologies and uncover prevalent trends in Game Parks in Zimbabwe. Accordingly, the study deployed a qualitative research case study design used within a design science research framework. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Findings show that the studied Game Parks still use peripheral e-CRM tools at the pre-, during and post-visit stages. This was mainly due to the following; lack of financial resources, lack of employee buy-in, management domination by individuals without full knowledge of electronic tools, and customer ignorance. Consequently, results were synthesized into a framework that two experts evaluated. This study is crucial as it provides new insights on how e-CRM can be implemented for Game Parks, especially in Zimbabwe. The study augments knowledge in the field of e-CRM for Game Parks, especially in developing countries like Zimbabwe.

Aligning the interests of newsvendors and forecasters through blockchain-based smart contracts and proper scoring rules

We consider a newsvendor setting where the newsvendor elicits a demand forecast from an expert to determine the optimal inventory level for a product. Since the interests of both parties might not be aligned, we propose a proper scoring rule to elicit the expert's forecast that is tailored to the decision problem the newsvendor faces. Under the proposed scoring rule, both the newsvendor's expected profit and the expert's expected payment increase as the expert exerts a higher effort when gathering information to formulate a forecast. Trust issues arise in this setting because the ex post payment the expert receives is contingent on the accuracy of the reported forecast, which in turn depends on a future realized outcome that might be only available to the newsvendor. We show that coding the proposed proper scoring rule as a blockchain-based smart contract allows the newsvendor to signal trustworthiness while, at the same time, inducing the expert to devote more effort in information gathering. Following the design science research framework, we conclude the paper by suggesting a design and a fully functional prototype of a blockchain-based smart contract that implements the proposed tailored proper scoring rule.

Bringing transparency and trustworthiness to loot boxes with blockchain and smart contracts

The ever-increasing reliance on loot boxes by the video game industry has attracted scrutiny from consumer groups and regulators. For example, this practice of selling random assortments of virtual items for a price has been criticized for its lack of transparency since, before purchasing a loot box, players do not necessarily know the possible items they can win and the associated probabilities. Even in the rare cases when the list of items and probabilities are available, there are no guarantees that a game is actually using that information when randomly drawing an item, which naturally results in a trust problem. We draw from decision theory to explain the transparency and trust issues faced by loot boxes, and from a recently proposed decision model by Pedersen et al. (2019) to motivate the use of blockchain technology in this context. Following the design science research framework (Peffers et al., 2007), we then explain how loot boxes can be coded as smart contracts running on a blockchain network, and why this solution effectively tackles the transparency and trust problems we mentioned above. We illustrate the use of the proposed smart contract by developing a decentralized application (DApp) that mimics the process of purchasing and opening a loot box. We carefully analyze our solution by considering its computational complexity, accuracy, security, and cost aspects. We further discuss topics related to governance and deployment so as to help the video game industry with a potential real-life implementation of our solution.

A design science-based case study of retail chain delivery operations and its implications

PurposeThe study aims to explore and develop a smart route planning system for the cross-docking delivery operations of a large supermarket chain using an action research (AR) approach and assessing through a design science research (DSR) lens.Design/methodology/approachThis study took a problem-solving AR (PAR) approach toward the delivery operational issue of the case firm. The research process has accorded with the solution incubation and the refinement phases defined by a DSR framework. An intervention-based research framework for DSR is developed to assess the validity of this study as a DSR research and derive mid-range theories.FindingsDramatic operational and financial improvements were achieved for the case firm. Significant and unintended environmental and social benefits were also found. A design proposition (DP) and several mid-range theories are proposed as an extension of AR research to DSR research.Research limitations/implicationsA problem-solving DSR research can be better assessed by the intervention-based DSR framework developed in this study. DSR studies should be encouraged for both practical and theoretical advancement purposes.Practical implicationsA challenging business problem-solving study can be tackled effectively through an industry/academic collaboration taking a PAR approach to deliver substantial values and organization transformational results.Social implicationsDrivers and store associates are safer with smart delivery operations in the case firm.Originality/valueThere are still limited PAR design science case studies in the supply chain/logistics research literature. The research experience and findings gained from this study provide more insights toward how this type of research can be conducted and assessed.

RIOMS: An intelligent system for operation and maintenance of urban roads using spatio-temporal data in smart cities

With the construction of smart cities entering a new phase, it is necessary to broaden the requirements of traditional roads to provide efficient operation and maintenance (O&M) services. Existing road infrastructure systems fail to meet intelligent functional O&M requirements since they do not incorporate a unified method to organize and integrate road life-cycle spatio-temporal data. Capitalizing on the developments in AEC (Architecture, Engineering & Construction) and IS fields, this paper proposes a solution (ICT Artifact) for achieving urban road intelligent O&M following the Design Science Research (DSR) framework. The main contributions of this paper are: (1) proposed method for organizing, collecting and fusing spatio-temporal data of the road’s entire life cycle, based on extended COBie standard to facilitate the linking and interoperability of multi-source heterogeneous data; (2) new Road Operation and Maintenance Functional Requirements (ROMFR) from the perspective of smart cities, which provide a complete definition of road intelligent O&M functional requirements; and (3) based on ROMFR and a new generation of information technologies, the design and implementation of a system named RIOMS (Road intelligent operation and maintenance system) that supports the intelligent functional requirements. The proposed solution has been applied to Yanggao Road (Pudong New Area, Shanghai) as a case study to demonstrate its feasibility and validity. Specifically, the proposed ICT artifact has been utilized in handling typical scenarios of road O&M and its effectiveness has been assessed through survey questionnaire and smart city assessment system.

Redesigning Portable Health Clinic Platform as a Remote Healthcare System to Tackle COVID-19 Pandemic Situation in Unreached Communities.

Medical staff carry an inordinate risk of infection from patients, and many doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers are affected by COVID-19 worldwide. The unreached communities with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as chronic cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, digestive, or renal diseases became more vulnerable during this pandemic situation. In both cases, Remote Healthcare Systems (RHS) may help minimize the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. This study used the WHO guidelines and Design Science Research (DSR) framework to redesign the Portable Health Clinic (PHC), an RHS, for the containment of the spread of COVID-19 as well as proposed corona logic (C-Logic) for the main symptoms of COVID-19. Using the distributed service platform of PHC, a trained healthcare worker with appropriate testing kits can screen high-risk individuals and can help optimize triage to medical services. PHC with its new triage algorithm (C-Logic) classifies the patients according to whether the patient needs to move to a clinic for a PCR test. Through modified PHC service, we can help people to boost their knowledge, attitude (feelings/beliefs), and self-efficacy to execute preventing measures. Our initial examination of the suitability of the PHC and its associated technologies as a key contributor to public health responses is designed to “flatten the curve”, particularly among unreached high-risk NCD populations in developing countries. Theoretically, this study contributes to design science research by introducing a modified healthcare providing model.

Conceptual Modeling Education as a “Design Problem”

This article frames Conceptual Modeling education as a design problem, in the sense of the Design Science research framework, motivated by student preconceptions and oversimplifications causing a gap between how the discipline is perceived at the bachelor level and the holistic understanding of model value that is required for research work. The treatment to this design problem must comprise teaching approaches and artifacts capable of positioning Conceptual Modeling as a standalone discipline having a value proposition for any application domain, rather than a technique subordinated to other disciplines. The underpinning thesis is that modeling languages should be primarily understood as purposeful knowledge schemas that can be subjected to agile adaptations in support of model-driven systems or knowledge processes, by analogy to how a database schema is evolved in response to changing requirements of a data-driven system or data analytics needs. This thesis is supported by enablers provided by the Open Models Laboratory and the Agile Modeling Method Engineering framework – resources that support the development of treatments to the design problem framed by the article.