artifact is a human product that prescribes something based on a certain rationale to attain goals and to function by relating an artifact design to artifact requirements (Simon 1996). Design Theory Important advances have been made over the years toward understanding the nature and anatomy of design theories. designer begins with a The act of design, thus, problem. Dasgupta (1991) states that: “the starts with a description of the problem stated in terms of a set of The is to requirements. designer’s brief develop a what we conventionally call such that if an artifact is built according to form – ‘the design’ – this form (that is, if we were to it will the (p. 13). Expanding implement the design) meet requirements.” this idea of design problems, Walls et al. (1992) argue that two key components of design theories are (a) meta-requirements and (b) meta-solution components. Gregor and Jones (2007) characterize design theories as having six core components: a specification of (1) purpose and scope (i.e., meta-requirements, goals, outer environment), (2) constructs (i.e., underlying design ideas), (3) principles of form and function (i.e., the problem solution, the inner environment, the form), (4) artifact mutability (i.e., anticipated changes to the artifact), (5) testable propositions, and (6) justificatory knowledge. Additionally, they mention (7) principles of implementation and (8) the material instantiation as optional components. Thus, (1) to (3) of Gregor and (2007) components expands Jones’s Dasgupta (1991) and Walls et al. (1992). Including further components, such as “justificatory in the anatomy of a design theory agree with view that the construction of artifacts knowledge,” Simon’s involves drawing on knowledge that then becomes an integral part of the product or process (Simon 1996). Paradigmatic Assumptions As previously explained, artifacts and design theories emphasize prescription. To achieve the previously noted primary purposes of prescription, an artifact must and it must (Simon “attain goals” “function” 1996, p. 4-5), which has been rephrased in IS DSR as organizational “solving identified problems”
artifact is a human product that prescribes something based on a certain rationale to attain goals and to function by relating an artifact design to artifact requirements (Simon 1996). Design Theory Important advances have been made over the years toward understanding the nature and anatomy of design theories. Dasgupta (1991) states that: “the designer begins with a problem. The act of design, thus, starts with a description of the problem stated in terms of a set of requirements. The designer’s brief is to develop a form – what we conventionally call ‘the design’ – such that if an artifact is built according to this form (that is, if we were to implement the design) it will meet the requirements.” (p. 13). Expanding this idea of design problems, Walls et al. (1992) argue that two key components of design theories are (a) meta-requirements and (b) meta-solution components. Gregor and Jones (2007) characterize design theories as having six core components: a specification of (1) purpose and scope (i.e., meta-requirements, goals, outer environment), (2) constructs (i.e., underlying design ideas), (3) principles of form and function (i.e., the problem solution, the inner environment, the form), (4) artifact mutability (i.e., anticipated changes to the artifact), (5) testable propositions, and (6) justificatory knowledge. Additionally, they mention (7) principles of implementation and (8) the material instantiation as optional components. Thus, (1) to (3) of Gregor and Jones’s (2007) components expands Dasgupta (1991) and Walls et al. (1992). Including further components, such as “justificatory knowledge,” in the anatomy of a design theory agree with Simon’s view that the construction of artifacts involves drawing on knowledge that then becomes an integral part of the product or process (Simon 1996). Paradigmatic Assumptions As previously explained, artifacts and design theories emphasize prescription. To achieve the previously noted primary purposes of prescription, an artifact must “attain goals” and it must “function” (Simon 1996, p. 4-5), which has been rephrased in IS DSR as “solving identified organizational problems”
Heuristic-Theorizing-working-paper.docx