Innovation and Ontologies

Design Science 219
1.2.2.3 An Information System Design Theory
That we as a discipline are not more concerned
about design theory is surprising […].
The IS discipline needs to articulate and develop
a class of ‘design theories’. (Walls, Widmeyer & El Sawy, 1992)
Walls, Widmeyer & El Sawy (1992) introduce the duality of design product and design. The
objective of their design theory is consequently to prescribe the intended properties of an artifact
necessary to achieve certain goals as well as the methodology of artifact construction. The
contribution lists the following distinctive features of design theories which, based in theory,
provide guidance to practitioners:
• Design theories must deal with goals as contingencies. Goals are intrinsic to a design theory.
• A design theory can never involve pure explanation or prediction. If it explains, it explains the
properties or the design process of an artifact. If it predicts, it predicts achievement of the
intended goals by the artifact.
• Design theories are prescriptive. They integrate explanatory, predictive, and normative aspects.
• Design theories are composite theories which encompass kernel theories from natural science,
social science and mathematics. Design theories tell from these theories ‘how to/ because’.
• Design theories show how explanatory, predictive, or normative theories are practically used.
• Design theories are theories of procedural rationality (Simon, 1998). They involve both the
application of scientific theory and the use of the scientific method to test design theories.
The formal components Walls, Widmeyer & El Sawy (1992) identify for an Information System
Design Theory are illustrated in the following table:
Design Product
Component Description of Component
Meta-Requirements class of goals to which the theory applies
Meta-Design class of artifacts supposed to meet meta-requirements
Kernel theories theories from natural or social sciences governing design requirements
Testable design product
hypotheses
used to test whether meta-design satisfies meta-requirements
Design Process
Component Description of Component
Design method description of artifact construction
Kernel theories theories from natural or social sciences governing design process
Testable design process
hypotheses
used to verify whether design method results in artifact consistent with
meta-design
table 57 Components of an Information System Design Theory (Walls, Widmeyer & El Sawy, 1992)