Innovation and Ontologies

220 Multimethodological Background
Walls, Widmeyer & El Sawy (1992) emphasize that a good theory must be subject to empirical
evaluation and potential dismissal. The assumption that a set of attributes will enable an artifact
to meet its goals can be verified by building and testing the artifact. Using a method to develop
an artifact and testing its capability to act as a solution can accordingly be a test to the method. It
is obvious that prototype construction is a major aspect of design theory research (Walls,
Widmeyer & El Sawy, 1992).
1.2.2.4 Design Research on Information Technology
Rather than posing theories, design scientists strive to create
models, methods, and implementations
that are innovative and valuable. (March & Smith, 1995)
March & Smith (1995), not referencing the works of Nunamaker, Chen & Purdin (1991) and of
Walls, Widmeyer & El Sawy (1992) present a first framework for Design Science research,
consisting of four distinct research activities and an equal number of research outputs (cf. table
58).
Research
Output
Research
Activities
Constructs
Model
Method
Instantiation
Build Evaluate Theorize Justify
table 58 Design Science Research Framework (March & Smith, 1995)
Concerning research activities, March and Smith (1995) identify build and evaluate as the two main
issues in Design Science. To these two Design Science research activities, the authors add the
natural (presumably including social and behavioral) science activity tandem which are theorize and
justify.
Build refers to the realization of the artifact, demonstrating that the artifact can be constructed to
perform a specific task (Osterwalder, 2004). The build activity results in one or more design
artifacts, like constructs, models, methods, and instantiations (March & Smith, 1995).
Evaluate encompasses a) the development of criteria and b) the assessment of artifact
performance against those criteria (Osterwalder, 2004). Evaluation means determining whether
the design artifacts produced are effective, i.e. achieve their purpose, provide value, and/or
produce adverse or unwanted side-effects (March & Smith, 1995).
Theorize refers to the construction of theories. Theorizing involves an explanation of why and
how the effects came about, i.e. why and how the constructs, models, methods, and instantiations
work. This activity attempts to unify the observations of effects into theory (March & Smith,
1995).