Ken Peffers

A Design Science Research Methodology for Information Systems Research

The paper motivates, presents, demonstrates in use, and evaluates a methodology for conducting design science (DS) research in information systems (IS). DS is of importance in a discipline oriented to the creation of successful artifacts. Several researchers have pioneered DS research in IS, yet over the past 15 years, little DS research has been done within the discipline. The lack of a methodology to serve as a commonly accepted framework for DS research and of a template for its presentation may have contributed to its slow adoption. The design science research methodology (DSRM) presented here incorporates principles, practices, and procedures required to carry out such research and meets three objectives: it is consistent with prior literature, it provides a nominal process model for doing DS research, and it provides a mental model for presenting and evaluating DS research in IS. The DS process includes six steps: problem identification and motivation, definition of the objectives for a solution, design and development, demonstration, evaluation, and communication. We demonstrate and evaluate the methodology by presenting four case studies in terms of the DSRM, including cases that present the design of a database to support health assessment methods, a software reuse measure, an Internet video telephony application, and an IS planning method. The designed methodology effectively satisfies the three objectives and has the potential to help aid the acceptance of DS research in the IS discipline.

Design Science Research in Information Systems. Advances in Theory and Practice

The business of business education is rapidly evolving because of changing economic and social conditions. At many institutions, class sizes are growing, more curricula is being offered online and traditionally successful pedagogical standards are being threatened unless they are adapted to the emerging economic realities of the 21st century. In response to the economic threats and consumers’ preferences, numerous IT artifacts are being created to facilitate online teaching in the hope that both quality and cost concerns will be ameliorated (albeit not always using the precepts of design science). The purpose of this ‘work-in-progress’ paper is to apply design science principles to outline an algorithm for a computer-aided peer assessment system, named Double-loop Mutual Assessment (DLMA). The project’s goal is to emulate the case method online, improve students’ learning experience and increase grading efficacy. The DLMA yields two IT artifacts: a method and an instantiation. The DLMA method artifact involves two loops of assessment: 1) a summative and formative mutual peer assessment algorithm for essays; and 2) a summative peer assessment of the feedback’s quality. An instantiation of DLMA system – a prototype and a beta-version has been implemented and described. Future directions of researching behavioral and operational aspects of the system are outlined. Potential applications of the artifact’s capabilities beyond the business necessity are discussed.

Research Opportunities in Information Technology Funding and System Justification

This article reviews IT funding and system justification practice and research in two dimensions, previews papers in the special issue on ‘Information technology funding and system justification in the organization’, and identifies opportunities for research in IT funding. IT funding decisions have been hard problems for firms and, because IT investments are so pervasive, they have been very important. Here we review IT funding decisions and research about IT funding historically, using two dimensions, justification dynamism and justification evidence. Over time, the IT funding decisions have changed from static, one time events to iterative and even continuous efforts. Early IT funding decisions were based on finance and accounting models, but changes in the purposes of new systems have necessitated justification based on a variety of qualitative measures. We preview the six papers in the special issue, with an eye to introducing them to readers and also to looking for areas that represent opportunites for future IS research. Finally, we identify eight areas that should represent good opportunities for future research in IT funding and systems justification.

Communication Artifacts for Requirements Engineering

The current study aims to improve the requirements engineering RE communication, as often times projects fail due to poorly specified or misunderstood requirements. We use design science methods to build and evaluate a conceptual model which can add value to managers by offering them a set of guidelines and best practices for facilitating the RE communication. We did a qualitative study to investigate what the criteria are for selecting communication artifacts and we discovered that organizational culture plays a key role in this process. We demonstrate that the used artifacts need to adequately reflect the dynamic and intensity of the communication. Finally, we extend the RE process by adding two transitional phases to avoid requirements slipping through the gaps. Our findings indicate that such transitions are more distinct in traditional waterfall organizations and less salient in agile companies. The current study approaches the RE communication process from a design science perspective which adds more knowledge on the topic and addresses some existing issues leading to project failure.