Information System Design Theory: A Lifecycle Perspective
Description
For Design Science Research (DSR) to gain wide credence as a research paradigm in Information Systems (IS), it must contribute to theory. “Theory cannot be improved until we improve the theorizing process, and we cannot improve the theorizing process until we describe it more explicitly, operate it more self-consciously, and decouple it from validation more deliberately” (Weick 1989, p. 516). With the aim of improved design science theorizing, we propose a design theory lifecycle concept. This lifecycle relatively distinguishes the design theory from other types of theories in IS discipline. The design theory lifecycle will contribute and help researchers who conduct DSR to identify and crystallize the position of their design theory and contributions in DSR in general. Through this lifecycle concept, researchers can anticipate future theorizing contributions in the form of design theory. This paper attempts to contribute to theorizing in DSR.
Information System Design Theory: A Lifecycle Perspective
For Design Science Research (DSR) to gain wide credence as a research paradigm in Information Systems (IS), it must contribute to theory. “Theory cannot be improved until we improve the theorizing process, and we cannot improve the theorizing process until we describe it more explicitly, operate it more self-consciously, and decouple it from validation more deliberately” (Weick 1989, p. 516). With the aim of improved design science theorizing, we propose a design theory lifecycle concept. This lifecycle relatively distinguishes the design theory from other types of theories in IS discipline. The design theory lifecycle will contribute and help researchers who conduct DSR to identify and crystallize the position of their design theory and contributions in DSR in general. Through this lifecycle concept, researchers can anticipate future theorizing contributions in the form of design theory. This paper attempts to contribute to theorizing in DSR.