Design Science Research Young Scientists Meeting of WKWI 2009 Dr.ir. Hajo Reijers www.reijers.com
Outline A design science recap An instantiation Publishing on design science Isis-Fortuna, Südkuppelsaal, Das Neue Museum, Berlin PAGE 2
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Ten Principles to Good Design Good design is innovative. Good design makes a product useful. Good design is aesthetic. Good design makes a product understandable. Good design is unobtrusive. Good design is honest. Good design is long-lasting. Good design is thorough down to the last detail. Good design is environmentally friendly. Good design is as little design as possible. Copyright Dieter Rams, amended March 2003/October 2009 PAGE 4
Let s switch from products to organizations... PAGE 5
Routine design vs. design science research Routine design the application of existing knowledge to organizational problems Design science research addresses important unsolved problems in unique or innovative ways or solved problems in more effective or Key differentiator: the clear efficient identification ways of a contribution to the archival knowledge base of foundations and methodologies. Hevner, March, Park and Ram, MISQ, 2004 PAGE 6
The IS science dichotomy Behavioral science Goal: truth Develop and justify theories on human/ organizational behavior with respect to artifacts Roots in natural science research methods Design science research Goal: utility (problem solving) Build and evaluate artifacts Roots in engineering and sciences of the artifical Hevner, March, Park and Ram, MISQ, 2004 PAGE 7
IT artifacts central in IS research IT artifacts: constructs (vocabulary and symbols) models (abstractions and representations) methods (algorithms and practices) instantiations (implemented and prototype systems) Hevner, March, Park and Ram, MISQ, 2004 PAGE 8
IS Research Framework Hevner, March, Park and Ram, MISQ, 2004 PAGE 9
Guidelines for design science Guideline 1: Design as an Artifact 2: Problem Relevance 3: Design Evaluation 4: Research Contributions Description Design-science research must produce a viable artifact in the form of a construct, a model, a method, or an instantiation. The objective of design-science research is to develop technology-based solutions to important and relevant business problems. The utility, quality, and efficacy of a design artifact must be rigorously demonstrated via well-executed evaluation methods. Effective design-science research must provide clear and verifiable contributions in the areas of the design artifact, design foundations, and/or design methodologies. 5: Research Rigor Design-science research relies upon the application of rigorous methods in both the construction and evaluation of the design artifact. 6: Design as a Search Process 7: Communication of Research The search for an effective artifact requires utilizing available means to reach desired ends while satisfying laws in the problem environment. Design-science research must be presented effectively both to technology-oriented as well as management-oriented audiences. PAGE 10
An instantiation H.A. Reijers, S. Limam, and W.M.P. van der Aalst. Product-based Workflow Design. Journal of Management Information systems, 20(1): 229-262, 2003. PAGE 11
G1: Design as an artifact Product-based Workflow Design: a method to develop performative designs to process information-intensive products 1. 2. Process? Product PAGE 12
Outline of the method rappeltijd x weken activeren ROF run herinneringsbrief verzenden ROF uitzetten ROF van de klant klaar voor scannen scannen ROF doorsturen naar UA mutaties beoordelen ROF onjuist of onleesbaar brief schrijven geheel goed (alsnog) te laat herbeoordelen genereren nieuwe ROF mutaties verwerken uitkeren klaar voor deblokkeren blokkeren boete deblokkeren AWB-IFO blokkeren uitkering opsturen boete procedure klaar voor einde opsturen nieuwe en oude ROF Einde Product specifications Information element structure Process
Example product specification The following is an excerpt of the stipulations of a Dutch bank concerning medium length business loans: The funds for a medium length loan that is made available to a client but which is not withdrawn by the client must be placed on the money market. If the funding cost of the loan is higher than the rewards of the temporary placing, this difference is the basis for the monthly disposal provision The disposal provision amounts to half of this difference with a minimum of 1/12 % per month The disposal provision should be part of the loan proposal.
Example product specification The following is an excerpt of the stipulations of a Dutch bank concerning medium length business loans: The funds for a medium length loan that is made available to a client but which is not withdrawn by the client must be placed on the money market. If the funding cost of the loan is higher than the rewards of the temporary placing, this difference is the basis for the monthly disposal provision The disposal provision amounts to half of this difference with a minimum of 1/12 % per month The disposal provision should be part of the loan proposal.
Example product specification The following is an excerpt of the stipulations of a Dutch bank concerning medium length business loans: The funds for a medium length loan that is made available to a client but which is not withdrawn by the client must be placed on the money market. If the funding cost of the loan is higher than the rewards of the temporary placing, this difference is the basis for the monthly disposal provision The disposal provision amounts to half of this difference with a minimum of 1/12 % per month The disposal provision should be part of the loan proposal.
Example product specification The following is an excerpt of the stipulations of a Dutch bank concerning medium length business loans: The funds for a medium length loan that is made available to a client but which is not withdrawn by the client must be placed on the money market. If the funding cost of the loan is higher than the rewards of the temporary placing, this difference is the basis for the monthly disposal provision The disposal provision amounts to half of this difference with a minimum of 1/12 % per month The disposal provision should be part of the loan proposal.
Example product specification The following is an excerpt of the stipulations of a Dutch bank concerning medium length business loans: The funds for a medium length loan that is made available to a client but which is not withdrawn by the client must be placed on the money market. If the funding cost of the loan is higher than the rewards of the temporary placing, this difference is the basis for the monthly disposal provision The disposal provision amounts to half of this difference with a minimum of 1/12 % per month The disposal provision should be part of the loan proposal.
Deriving the process 8 7 5 3 6 4 assessments procedural work 1 2
G2: Problem relevance Existing business processes: Complex structures: not transparant, difficult to control System proliferation: overlap, interoperability / maintainability issues, Inflexible structure: change = pulling a house of cards? PBD is a revolutionary redesign approach: Big change fast PAGE 20
G3: Design Evaluation (1) PAGE 21
G3: Design Evaluation (2) Cases: ING Bank Netherlands: redesign business loan processes Dutch Social Security Agency: redesign unemployment claims Results Cut cycle times with 30-70% Cut service times with 60-80% Rationalized, well-documented processes PBD became adopted by Deloitte as one of its standard BPR methods PAGE 22
G4: Research Contributions Popular methods: Subjective, non-repeatable, irrational Academic methods: Smaller scope, no evaluation PAGE 23
G5: Research Rigor PAGE 24
G6: Design as a Search Process Factory Bank Insurance Social security Process Productionline Collection process Claims handling Claims handling Product BOM Mortgage contract Policy Unemploym. law PAGE 25
G7: Communication of Research But we tried to write it down clearly and concisely all right... PAGE 26
Was it a walk-over? / name of department PAGE 27
The publication process Overall cycle time of nine months Reviews by two reviewers and the editor The paper was accepted after a first, major revision a second, minor revision PAGE 28
The revision process (1) We have put more emphasis on the practical issues that are involved with applying our approach. More specifically, we have added a discussion about the problems with obtaining its required input. We have clarified the formal product/data model that underlies our approach, in particular with respect to the meaning of its components and some assumptions we made, such as the independence of probabilities. PAGE 29
The revision process (2) We have put an effort into clarifying and substantiating the design criteria as presented. In particular, we have addressed our narrow interpretation of quality. We have tried to improve the business sense of the case study by giving a better context, defining the used information elements, and giving examples that illustrate the model. PAGE 30
The revision process (3) We have stated more explicitly the supplementary relation between participative design approaches and the presented approach. We have added a discussion about whether the business community is likely to adopt our approach. PAGE 31
What made this a success? Link with industry: relevance utility The team complimentary skills experienced mentor - prof. Van der Aalst The other domain metaphor Bill of Material PAGE 32
What else? A good publication asks for more: Application in IS B-journal Reflection on adoption in OS A-journal Several other conference and workshop papers relating to this subject Research grants/phd students Industrial cooperation PAGE 33
Concluding remarks Main issues for publishing on design science research: Innovativity: Is it new? Utility: Does it work? Guidelines/frameworks/etc. are all fine but it s their spirit that really matters PAGE 34
/ School of Industrial Engineering PAGE 35