Outline of a design science research process

Abstract

Discussions about the body of knowledge of information systems, including the research domain, relevant perspectives and methods have been going on for a long time. Many researchers vote for a combination of research perspectives and their respective research methodologies; rigour and relevance as requirements in design science are generally accepted. What has been lacking is a formalisation of a detailed research process for design science that takes into account all requirements. We have developed such a research process, building on top of existing processes and findings from design research. The process combines qualitative and quantitative research and references well-known research methods. Publication possibilities and self-contained work packages are recommended. Case studies using the process are presented and discussed.