Proposal for Components of Method Design Theories - Increasing the Utility of Method Design Artefacts

Gregor and Jones have proposed components for design theories, building on theory concepts from behavioural sciences and prior publications. Their design theory structure addresses IT artefacts in general, not specific to any type, such as constructs, models, methods or instantiations. Their work is an important contribution to the academic discussion of design theories. The authors are building on this and believe that specialised design theory structures for different types of artefacts further increases utility, usability and acceptance of the components for both academia and practise. They have analysed each of the components published by Gregor and Jones and proposed refinements specific to method design artefacts wherever applicable. For each component, they derive evaluation criteria and present examples of method publications fulfilling the criteria. They argue that by presenting method design theories according to this structure the contribution of method design artefacts to the body of knowledge will increase

Method Engineering as Design Science

In this paper, we motivate, devise, demonstrate, and evaluate an approach for the research-based development of information systems development methods (ISDMs). This approach, termed “method engineering as design science” (ME-DS), emerged from the identified need for scholars to develop ISDMs using proper research methods that meet the standards of both rigor and relevance. ISDMs occupy a position of central importance to information systems development and scholars have therefore invested extensive resources over the years in developing such methods. The method engineering (ME) discipline has developed different frameworks and methods to guide such development work and, for that purpose, they are well-suited. Still, there remains a need for applications and evaluations of ISDMs based on the demands for knowledge justification. Unfortunately, in many cases, scholars come up short with regard to how ISDMs are generated and empirically validated. While design science (DS) stresses knowledge justification, prominent DS approaches seem to be biased toward the development of IT artifacts, making this approach ill-suited for the development of method artifacts. We therefore propose eight principles that marry ME and DS, resulting in a process model with six activities to support research-based development of ISDMs. We demonstrate and evaluate ME-DS by assessing three existing research papers that propose ISDMs. These retrospectives show how ME-DS directs attention to certain aspects of the research process and provides support for future ISDM development

VALIDATING AND EXTENDING THE FARM SITE DEVELOPMENT METHOD

The focus of this project is on extending a new method known as the farm site development method that is developed by focusing on industrial engineering techniques. This new method allows farmers / farm managers to expand the critical resources involved in production as well as the farm to a fully saturated state. During the process of circumscription of this method in 2013; certain deficiencies were identified where improvements can be made. The new and extended farm site development method is evaluated by demonstrating a practical example at a crop growing farm in KwaZulu-Natal. The implementation of this method allows the designers to identify further deficiencies that will improve the farm site development method.Thesis (B Eng. (Industrial and Systems Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2012

Elektronisk legitimering i en fysisk kontext - en designstudie om Mobilt BankID som legitimation hos postombud

Den digitala plånboken är ett nytt kapitel i smartphonens historia som i och med mobila betalningslösningar kan agera substitut för traditionella betalningsmedel. Något denna plånbok däremot inte innehåller är en motsvarande lösning för legitimationen, ett plastkort som i digitaliseringen inte verkar ha någonstans att ta vägen. Faktum är att legitimering med smartphonen blev möjligt i takt med lanseringen av Mobilt BankID år 2011. Denna elektroniska legitimation är dock bunden till kontexten av e-tjänster och fyller således inte funktionen av att i en fysisk legitimeringssituation kunna agera substitut för exempelvis körkortet. Oavsett vilken riktning den digitala plånboken kommer ta gällande legitimationen finns idag inget underlag för hur en elektronisk legitimering i en fysisk kontext skulle gå till. Det är således även oklart hur de potentiella användarna ställer sig till en sådan artefakt. Med dessa oklarheter som grund ämnar uppsatsen tillhandahålla den artefakt som möjliggör elektronisk legitimering i en fysisk kontext, och vidare att undersöka användarnas acceptans för denna. För att ta itu med detta tar vi hjälp av relevant litteratur för att identifiera de teoretiska ramverk genom vilka artefakten ska designas och utvärderas. Influerade av designforskning utgår vi från designteori av Gregor och Jones (2007) för att tillhandahålla artefakten. Utvärderingen utgår från Davis (1986) Technology Acceptance Model och genomförs i form av en kvantitativ enkätundersökning. Resultatet visar att elektronisk legitimering teoretiskt sett bör fungera i en fysisk kontext, men att vidare designforskning krävs innan detta blir möjligt. Studien visar även att de potentiella användarna anser att Mobilt BankID hade varit ett bra komplement till den fysiska legitimationen, men att avsikten att använda e-legitimationen i en fysisk legitimeringssituation minskar då den fysiska legitimationen upplevs vara det föredragna alternativet

Information Requirements Analysis for Business Intelligence Systems using System Dynamics

The objective of this dissertation is to develop new approaches to improve the information supply of decision makers in order to reduce information overload and associated problems such as mental stress or reduced decision quality. The work focuses on measures that are used in business intelligence systems since measures represent a core aspect of corporate information supply. A distinction is made between role-specific and individual information requirements. After developing a System Dynamics-based method for the identification of role-specific information requirements of decision makers, the method is demonstrated in three different contexts for three different model types. Finally, a metadata-based extension is presented that is able to fulfill individual information requirements.Das Ziel dieser Dissertation besteht darin, neue Ansätze zur Verbesserung der Informationsversorgung von Entscheidungsträgern zu entwickeln, um der zunehmenden Informationsüberflutung und den damit einhergehenden Problemen wie beispielsweise mentalem Stress oder reduzierter Entscheidungsqualität entgegenzuwirken. Die Arbeit beschränkt sich auf Kennzahlen, die im Rahmen von Business Intelligence-Systemen im betrieblichen Umfeld anfallen, da diese Kennzahlen einen Kernaspekt betrieblicher Informationsversorgung darstellen. Hierbei wird zwischen rollenspezifischen und individuellen Informationsbedarfen unterschieden. Nach der Entwicklung einer Methode zur Identifizierung von rollenspezifischen Informationsbedarfen von Entscheidungsträgern unter Rückgriff auf die Simulationsmethode System Dynamics, wird die Methode in drei unterschiedlichen Kontexten für drei unterschiedliche Modelltypen demonstriert. Anschließend wird ein Ansatz für eine Erweiterung durch Nutzung von Metadaten vorgestellt, durch den sich individuelle Informationsbedarfe befriedigen lassen

Enterprise reference architectures for higher education institutions: Analysis, comparison and practical uses

Enterprise Architecture (EA) is currently accepted as one on the major instruments for enabling organisations in their transformation processes to achieve business-technology alignment. Despite that over the last years EA has been successfully adopted in many industries, Higher Education still represents one of the sectors with lower levels of adoption and maturity of EA practices. The present thesis puts the emphasis particularly on the study Enterprise Reference Architectures (ERAs), as a particular type of EA artefact, in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). After formally clarifying the concept of ERAs and giving a panoramic view of the current state-of-the-art of existing HEI-oriented ERAs, the thesis proposes an artefact framework build through a Design Science Research (DSR) approach aimed to facilitate practitioners their (re-)use or application in their own real practical settings. The purpose of the constructed artefact is to support practitioners when conducting the necessary adjustments to exiting HEI-oriented ERAs in order to be successfully applied for their specific needs.La Arquitectura Empresarial (AE) es actualmente reconocida como una disciplina que permite configurar procesos de trasformación organizativa a objeto de alinear el negocio con la tecnología. A pesar de que en los últimos años la AE se ha ido adoptando progresivamente de forma exitosa en diversas industrias, la educación superior representa todavía hoy en día uno de los sectores con menores niveles de adopción y de madurez en lo que se refiere a las prácticas de AE. La presente tesis hace especial hincapié en el estudio de las Arquitecturas de Referencia Empresariales (AREs), entendidas como un artefacto específico de AE, en Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES). Así, después de clarificar formalmente el concepto de ARE y de ofrecer una visión panorámica del estado del arte relativo a las AREs para IES existentes, la tesis propone un framework de trabajo construido a través de un enfoque de investigación basado en la Ciencia del diseño destinado a facilitar su (re-)utilización o aplicación práctica en dominios de trabajo reales. El objetivo del artefacto es proporcionar soporte práctico a los profesionales para realizar los ajustes necesarios a las AREs para IES existentes para que puedan aplicarlas con éxito a sus necesidades específicas.L'Arquitectura Empresarial (AE) és actualment reconeguda com una disciplina que permet configurar processos de transformació organitzatius a fi d'alinear el negoci amb la tecnologia. Tot i que en els darrers anys l'AE s'ha anat adoptant progressivament amb èxit en diverses indústries, l'educació superior representa encara avui dia un dels sectors amb menors nivells d'adopció i de maduresa pel que fa a pràctiques d'AE. Aquesta tesi posa especial èmfasi en l'estudi de les Arquitectures de Referència Empresarials (AREs), enteses com un artefacte concret d'AE, a Institucions d'Educació Superior (IES). Així, després d'aclarir formalment el concepte d'ARE i oferir una visió panoràmica de l'estat de l'art relatiu a les ARE per a IES existents, la tesi proposa un framework de treball construït a través d'un enfocament de recerca basat en la ciència del disseny destinat a facilitar-ne la seva (re-)utilització o aplicació pràctica en dominis de treball reals. L'objectiu de l'artefacte és proporcionar suport pràctic als professionals per realitzar els ajustaments necessaris a les AREs per a IES existents de forma que les puguin aplicar amb èxit a les seves necessitats específiques.Tecnologies de la informació i de xarxe

Modelo conceitual para criação, aplicação e avaliação de jogos educativos digitais

Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia e Gestão do Conhecimento, Florianópolis, 2014.Os jogos educativos digitais têm o potencial de agregar valor ao processo de ensino e aprendizagem de conteúdos em sala de aula. Todavia, os professores ou mediadores desse processo enfrentam dificuldades para a aplicação desses jogos no contexto da sala de aula, seja pela falta dos princípios pedagógicos na sua criação, seja pela falta de mediação na sua aplicação, ou até mesmo da avaliação da eficiência e eficácia do uso desses jogos. Nesse sentido, este trabalho buscou desenvolver um modelo conceitual para a criação, aplicação e avaliação de jogos educativos digitais para o contexto do processo de ensino e aprendizagem em sala de aula. Os procedimentos metodológicos utilizados foram preponderantemente a pesquisa bibliográfica e de campo, com a utilização do Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) para o desenvolvimento do modelo conceitual. O início desta pesquisa, conforme apresenta o DSRM, foi o projeto e desenvolvimento do jogo educativo digital denominado de Simulador Ambiental (SA). A partir da experiência realizada com a criação do jogo, concomitantemente com os avanços das pesquisas bibliométricas e aleatórias, foi concebido o modelo conceitual desta tese. O modelo conceitual foi aplicado em sete turmas na Faculdade Senac, no município de Florianópolis (SC), totalizando 125 alunos. Constatou-se que houve melhora na percepção dos alunos quanto ao seu nível de aprendizado no conteúdo do jogo utilizado (SA). Portanto, os resultados alcançados nesta pesquisa demonstraram positivamente a consistência do modelo conceitual, oferecendo aos desenvolvedores de jogos, assim como aos mediadores da prática pedagógica e às demais partes interessadas no processo de ensino e aprendizagem com o uso de jogos educativos digitais em sala de aula, um caminho pelo qual eles possam criar, aplicar e avaliar a qualidade dos jogos e a didática de aplicação destes.Abstract : Digital educational games have the potential of aggregating value to the teaching and learning of content process in the classroom. However, teachers or mediators of this process face difficulties on applying these games in the context of the classroom, given the lack of pedagogical principles in their creation, or the lack of mediation in their application, or even of the efficiency and effectiveness evaluation of using games. Thus this study sought to develop a conceptual model for the creation, implementation and evaluation of digital educational games to the context of teaching and learning in the classroom. The methodological procedures used were mainly bibliographical and field research, using the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) for the development of the conceptual model. The beginning of this research, as presented by the DSRM, was the design and development of digital educational game called Environmental Simulator (SA). The conceptual model of this thesis was designed from the experience on the game creation, simultaneously with the advances of bibliometric and random searches. The conceptual model was applied to seven classes in the Senac Faculty located in Florianópolis - Santa Catarina - Brazil, reaching a lotal of 125 students. The results showed an improvement in the students' perception about their level of learning in game content used (SA). Therefore, the positive results achieved demonstrated the conceptual model consistency, allowing game developers, as well as mediators of pedagogical practice and other stakeholders in the teaching and learning process interested on the use of digital educational games in the classroom, a way by which they can create, implement and evaluate the quality of games and the didactic on their implementation