Chapter: 6 Design Science Research

Method

Instructor : Dr. Vikrant Shaga

Contents
• Design Science Paradigm
• What is Design Science?
• Design Science Methodology
• Design Science Research Framework
• Design Science Research Outputs

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Design Science Paradigm

• It’s a problem solving paradigm

• Deals with the ‘design’ of artificial artifacts (i.e., IT artifacts) and creating
something new that does not yet exist.
• design is both a process (set of activities) of ‘creating something new’ and
a product (i.e., the artifact that results out of this process)
• It is one type of research Methodology.

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What is Design Science?
• focuses on the development and performance of (designed) artifacts with
the explicit intention of improving the functional performance of the
artifact.
• Applied to categories of artifacts including (but not limited to)
algorithms, human/computer interfaces, design methodologies
(including process models) and languages.
• Commonly applied in the Engineering and Computer Science disciplines
• Natural sciences and social sciences try to understand reality
• Also applied in many disciplines and fields

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Design Science Methodology
Include three elements:
1. conceptual principles to define what is meant by design science
research
2. Practice rules, and
3. a process for carrying out and presenting the research.

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Design Science Methodology
1. Conceptual principles :
• “Design science creates and evaluates IT artifacts intended to solve
identified organizational problems
• It involves a rigorous process to design artifacts to solve observed
problems, to make research contributions, to evaluate the designs, and to
communicate the results to appropriate audiences
• Artifacts may include constructs, models, methods, and instantiations
• might also include social innovations or new properties of technical,
social, and/or informational resources

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Design Science Methodology
2. Practice Rules:
Hevner provided seven guidelines (practice rules) that describe
characteristics of well carried out design science research.
1. research must produce an “artifact created to address a problem
2. the artifact should be relevant to the solution of unsolved business
problem
3. Its “utility, quality, and efficacy ” must be rigorously evaluated
4. Provide a verifiable contribution and
5. rigor must be applied in both the development of the artifact and its
evaluation

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Design Science Methodology
2. Practice Rules:
6. The development of the artifact should be a search process that draws
from existing theories and knowledge to come up with a solution to a
defined problem
7. the research must be effectively communicated to appropriate
audiences

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Design Science Methodology
3. Procedures
Refer to the standard steps design researcher should follow to develop an
artifact that can solve the stated problem at the beginning.

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 Design Science research framework

Metrics, Analysis
How to Knowledge

Knowledge

Disciplinary
Knowledge
Inference

Identify Define Design & Demonstration Evaluation Communicatio

Theory
Problem & Objectives of a Development Find Suitable n
Motivate Solution context Observe How
Effective, Scholarly
Define What would a Artifact Use Artifact to efficient Publications
Problem Better Artifact Solve problem
Show Accomplish? Iterate Back to Professional
Importance design Publications

Process Iterations

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Design Science research framework
1. Problem identification:
• Define the specific research problem and justify the value of a
solution
• Help to develop an effective artifact and atomize the problem
• Help to capture problem complexity
• Justification of the solution motivates the researcher as well as
audiences to accept the result
• Resources Required
• Knowledge of the state of the problem and the importance of its
solution
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Design Science research framework
Example : Problem identification:
• Distance learning puts learners in Isolation, lack of
observation by teachers and more freedom to learners
• Researchers in distance learning are interested to develop
collaborative tools that supports student interactions
• This is not sufficient, collaboration among tutors is also
necessary for effective distance learning
• No system so far that supports tutors

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Design Science research framework
2. Define the objectives for a solution
• Infer the objectives of a solution from the problem definition and
knowledge of what is possible and feasible
• Objectives can be :
• measurable e.g., terms in which a desirable solution would be better than current
ones,
• qualitative, e.g., a description of how a new artifact is expected to support
solutions to problems not hitherto addressed
• Generally good to have Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reliable and
Time bound (SMART) objectives
• Inputs -- knowledge of the state of problems and current solutions, if any,
and their efficacy.
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Design Science research framework
Example of the objectives for a solution:

• To develop a collaborative tools supports tutors in distance education

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Design Science research framework
2. Design and Development
• Create the artifact, such as
constructs, models, methods, or
instantiations or “new properties
of technical, social, and/or
informational resources”
• This activity includes determining
the artifact’s desired functionality
and its architecture and then Example – Computer Supported Collaborative
tutoring tool (CSCTT)
creating the actual artifact
• Resources required
Knowledge of theory that can be
brought to bear in a solution
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Design Science research framework
CSCTT Architecture

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Design Science research framework
Solution description
• This system consists of a manager of collaboration requests that
manages the requests issued by the tutor.
• when the tutor receives an assistance request from a learner, this tutor
has the opportunity to work in group and collaborate with another
member of his group who has the specified role or tutor (according to the
type of assistance request).

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Design Science research framework
4. Demonstration :
• Demonstration is a single act to prove that the idea works to solve one or
all aspects of the problem
• This could involve its use in experimentation, simulation, case study, proof,
or other appropriate activity

• Resource required
• Knowledge of how to use the artifact to solve the problem

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Design Science research framework
5. Evaluation :
• Evaluation refers to the observation and measurement of how well the
artifact supports a solution to the problem
• This activity involves comparing the objectives of a solution to actual
observed results from use of the artifact in the demonstration
• It requires knowledge of relevant metrics and analysis techniques

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Design Science research outputs
• Constructs
• conceptual vocabulary of a problem/solution domain
• Methods
• algorithms and practices to perform a specific task
• Algorithm is step-by-step procedure for calculations. Algorithms are
used for calculation, data processing, information retrieval
and automated reasoning
• Models
• a set of propositions or statements expressing relationships among
constructs
• abstractions and representations
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Design Science research outputs
• Instantiations
• constitute the realization of constructs, models and methods in a
working system
• implemented and prototype systems
• Algorithmic codes with target language software
• Better theories - artifact construction

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References
1. Design Science Methodology for Information Systems and Software
Engineering by Roel J. Wieringa (auth.)
2. Design Science Research Methods and Patterns Innovating
Information and Communication Technology by Vijay K. Vaishnavi,
William Kuechler Jr.

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