Design Research Methods, 15 credits
Designforskningsmetoder, 15 hp
Course code: IK8020
School of Information Technology
Level: Second cycle
Select course syllabus
Finalized by: Forsknings- och utbildningsnämnden, 2024-09-18 and is valid for students admitted for spring semester 2025.
Main field of study with advanced study
Informatics, Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirements. (A1N)Entry requirements
Bachelor's degree 180 credits in informatics, information science, computer science, interaction design, software development, information technology, service science, innovation science, business administration or equivalent. Applicants must have written and verbal command of the English language equivalent to English course 6 in Swedish Upper-Secondary School. Exemption of the requirement in Swedish is granted.
Placement in the Academic System
The course is included in the Master's Programme in Digital Serivice Innovation 120 credits. The course is also given as a single subject course.
Objectives
The course´s aims are that the student develops in-depth knowledge of design research in informatics and its scientific theoretical outset. Furthermore, the course aims at preparing the student to apply design research methods in digital service development.
Following successful completion of the course the student should be able to:
Knowledge and understanding
- explain and present the basis and starting points of informatics and design research methods
- describe and compare different design research work
- explain scientific quality concepts and principles for research ethics
Skills and ability
- identify and formulate knowledge issues that are connected with design research work
- motivate and plan a design study with appropriate methods for problem identification, design, evaluation, theorising and conceptualisation
- use scientific quality concepts to discuss research skills both orally and in writing
Judgement and approach
- analyse and evaluate methodological choices and critically reflect upon methodological scientific, ethical and sustainability consequences.
Content
The course deals with the process of design research, methods and quality criteria. Exploratory approaches, such as design studies and design ethnography are particularly highlighted. Part of the course is that the student completes a defined design study. The course takes up design as research and as work practice in research and development within industry and the public sector.
Language of Instruction
Teaching Formats
Teaching will comprise of lectures, seminars and supervision.
Grading scale
Examination formats
The examination consists of the following tasks: Seminar: Analysis of Design Study; Design Study; and Research proposal.
2201: Seminar: Analysis of Design Study, 3 credits
Two-grade scale (UG): Fail (U), Pass (G)
2202: Design Study, 4 credits
Six-grade scale, letters (FA): Insufficient (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B), Excellent (A)
2203: Research Proposal, 8 credits
Six-grade scale, letters (FA): Insufficient (F), Sufficient (E), Satisfactory (D), Good (C), Very Good (B), Excellent (A)
Exceptions from the specified examination format
If there are special reasons, the examiner may make exceptions from the specified examination format and allow a student to be examined in another way. Special reasons can e.g. be study support for students with disabilities.
Course evaluation
Course evaluation is part of the course. This evaluation offers guidance in the future development and planning of the course. Course evaluation is documented and made available to the students.
Course literature and other materials
Literature list 2025-01-20 – Until further notice
Note that the course literature may be updated before the start of the course.
Baskerville, R., Baiyere, A., Gregor, S., Hevner, A. & Rossi, M. Design science research contributions: Finding a balance between artifact and theory. Journal of the Association for Information Systems (2018) 19(5), 3.
Curedale, R. Design Methods 1. Design Community College, 2012.
De Leoz, G. & Petter, S. Considering the social impacts of artefacts in information systems design science research. European Journal of Information Systems (2018) 27(2), 154-170.
Frayling, Christopher. Printed Publication, Research in Art and Design. Royal College of Art Research Papers (1994) Vol 1, No 1, 1993/4) Retrieved from: https://researchonline.rca.ac.uk/384/
Gray, Dave, Brown, Sunni & Macanufo, James. Gamestorming. O’Reilly, 2010.
Gregor, S. & Hevner, A. R. Positining and Presenting Design Science Research for Maximum Impact, MIS Quarterly (2013) 37:2, pp.337-355.
Hevner A. R. The three cycle view of design science research. Scandinavian Journal of Information Systems (2007) 19 (2): 87.
Hevner, A. R., March, S. T., Park, J. & Ram, S. Design science in information systems research. MIS Quarterly (2004) 75-105.
Ihlström Eriksson, C., Åkesson, M. & Kautz, K. Authentic and Concurrent Evaluation: Refining an Evaluation Approach in Design Science Research. PACIS 2011 Proceedings (2011). Paper 82.
Jones, J. C. Design Methods. David Fullton Publishers 1992.
Kimbell, L. The Service Innovation Handbook: Action-Oriented Creative Thinking Toolkit for Service Organizations. BIS publishers, 2015. Retrieved from: https://serviceinnovationhandbook.org/
Mathiassen, L. Designing Engaged Scholarship: From Real-World Problems to Research Publications. Engaged Management ReView (2017) Vol. 1 : Iss. 1 , Article 2.
Myers, M. D. & Venable, J. R. A set of ethical principles for design science research in information systems. Information & Management (2014) 51(6), 801-809.
Peffers, K., Tuunanen, T., Rothenberger, M. A. & Chatterjee, S. A design science research methodology for information systems research. Journal of Management Information Systems (2007) 24(3), 45-77.
Resmini, A. Classical to Contemporary: An M3-based Model for Framing Change in Information Architecture. In Resmini, A., Rice, S. and Irizarry, B. Advances in Information Architecture. Human-computer Interaction Series. Springer, 2021.
Sein, M. K., Henfridsson, O., Purao, S., Rossi, M. & Lindgren, R. Action design research. MIS Quarterly (2011) 37-56.
Stappers, P. J. & Giaccardi, E. Research through Design. The Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction. Interaction Design Foundation. Retrieved from: https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/book/the-encyclopedia-of-human-computer-interaction-2nd-ed/research-through-design
Vaishnavi, V., Kuechler, W. & Petter, S. (Eds.) Design Science Research in Information Systems (2004/19) January 20, 2004 (created in 2004 and updated until 2015 by Vaishnavi, V. and Kuechler, W.); last updated (by Vaishnavi, V. and Petter, S.), June 30, 2019. Retrieved from: http://www.desrist.org/design-research-in-information-systems/.
Venable, J., Pries-Heje, J. & Baskerville, R. FEDS: a framework for evaluation in design science research. European Journal of Information Systems (2016) 25(1), 77-89.
Ågerfalk, P. & Karlsson, F. Artefactual and empirical contributions in information systems research. European Journal of Information Systems (2020) 29(2), 109-113.
Åkesson, M., Kautz, K. & Ihlström Eriksson, C. Engaged Design Science: Developing Design Visions for the future e-Newspaper. In Proceedings of ICIS 2010, St. Louis, Missouri (2010) December 12-15.
Students choose their own independent literature for the written research prospectus/proposals.
