Fundamentals of Design Science Research

Since the 90’s information and communication technology (ICT) has fundamentally changed the way organizations are conducting business. Organizations and the entire society are challenged with the effective design, delivery, use, and impact of ICT. The IS discipline addresses this challenge and investigates the phenomena that emerge when the technological and the social system interact. A decade ago, an intensive discussion on the relevancy and impact of IS research has started. In this context, several scholars have suggested that the IS community returns to an exploration of the „IT“ that underlies the discipline. Design research has potentials to address this challenge. As such, it is nothing new: Design can be found in many disciplines and fields, notably Engineering and Computer Science, using a variety of approaches, methods, and techniques.

This course intends to provide a comprehensive overview on design science in IS research from different perspectives: basic definitions, principles and theoretical foundations, frameworks and methodologies, theory building, as well as design science research examples published in top journals.

PhD students are introduced to the exciting field of design science research. They understand the basic principles for successfully carrying out design science research.