Information Systems Foundations:
Answering the Unanswered Questions about Design Research

2-3rd October 2008, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

Call for Papers

Papers are invited for presentation at the Workshop.

Introduction

Information Systems is still a quite young field of study that, perhaps uniquely, is a peculiar juxtaposition of the technological, in the form of computing and communication technology artefacts, and the non-technological, in the form of the humans and organizations that design, implement and use systems built with that technology. This has and still does present a problem for information systems theorists because typically theories in technologically oriented disciplines differ significantly from the more human oriented disciplines in their view of the world as well as how best to investigate it and intervene in it. Theory development and testing in information systems therefore presents a significant and continuing challenge since it must reconcile and integrate these differences at both the philosophical and practical levels in order to provide a secure foundation for the discipline. Moreover, it may and has been argued that what theoretical foundations exist in information systems are still weak, diffuse, poorly integrated and consist largely of imports from other fields of study with little that the field can really call its own. Accordingly, the aim of the Information Systems Foundations workshops is to provide those with an interest in the foundation of their discipline with an opportunity to discuss, debate and hopefully improve those foundations.

The 2008 Workshop

The 2008 workshop will be the latest in a series, begun in 1999 by Kit Dampney at Macquarie University and continued biennially from 2002 at the ANU, focussing on the theoretical foundations of the discipline of information systems. Previous workshops have generally been regarded by the attendees as great successes since they have combined not only interesting and thought provoking papers and related discussions but also highly enjoyable social programmes to complement the more formal part of the gatherings. Proceedings of previous ANU workshops are still available (see the Proceedings section of the workshop website: http://infs.anu.edu.au/workshop/proceedings.asp). We anticipate and believe that the 2008 workshop in the Information Systems Foundations series will not only uphold the standard achieved in prior gatherings but also build on the strengths of previous meetings, resulting in an even better, more stimulating and rewarding experience for all involved.

High quality papers that have not been previously published and are not under consideration for publication or presentation elsewhere are solicited for presentation at the 2008 Workshop. Submitted papers will undergo a double-blind review process, with at least two independent reviewers per paper. Like the 2006 Workshop Proceedings (http://epress.anu.edu.au/info_systems_citation.htm), accepted papers will be published in the form of an edited volume, available for free download or print-on-demand hardcopy publication, by the ANU E-Press.

Workshop Theme

A basic theme underlying the workshop is that the disciplines related to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are applied disciplines and should not draw their models of research practice uncritically from the natural or social sciences (or from mathematics). An inspiration for this perspective is Herbert Simon’s Science of the Artificial.

Yet, despite increasing sympathy for this view, and increasing interest in design research and design theorizing in ICT, there is not a great deal of firm guidance for researchers on “how to” do design research well and a number of questions remain unanswered. Experience with reviewing papers for journals and research grants also suggests that researchers struggle with aspects of the design research process. The workshop will address this situation.

Suggested Topics

Suggested topics for the Workshop are (but are not intended to be limited to):

1) Developing Design Theory

Where does design theory come from? Is Simon’s means-end analysis model appropriate? Can design principles be extracted from practice? How can theorizing in the “normal science” paradigm lead to design principles? What is the role of creativity?

2) Evaluating and Testing Design Theory

What criteria should be used to evaluate designed artifacts and design theory? What methods can be used in evaluation? How well are design researchers doing at evaluating their design ideas? Are ICT researchers in fact building cumulative design theory? How much does our design research inform practice?

3) Different Approaches to Design Theory

Does the type of artifact matter? Is design research in different sub-disciplines in ICT intrinsically different? What can we learn from other applied disciplines (e.g. art, engineering)? Must ICT design theory be underpinned by explanatory “kernel” theories from other disciplines? Do underlying philosophical positions matter?

The main requirement for a paper to be acceptable for the Workshop is that it addresses clearly some theoretical body or bodies of knowledge in the information systems or a related domain. In addition, papers should indicate, where appropriate, the implications for practice of the theory or theories under consideration.

Papers that are carefully argued, stimulating, speculative, controversial, and that are likely to encourage lively discussion and debate are especially encouraged.

Important Dates

Paper submission date (full paper): 7 July, 2008

Notification of acceptance/rejection: 4 August, 2008

Final papers due: 1 September, 2008

Submission requirements:

Papers are to be submitted electronically to:

infsys-foundations@anu.edu.au

Style requirements are specified on the workshop web site. Submitted papers must use and adhere to the paper template provided on the website.

Program Chairs:

Professor Shirley Gregor, AO

Dr Susanna Ho

Tutorial Session Convenors

Joseph Davis, University of Sydney

Shirley Gregor, Australian National University

Program Committee:

The program committee includes:

Jörg Becker, University of Münster, Germany

Andrea Carugati, University of Aarhus, Denmark

Joseph Davis, University of Sydney, Australia

Walter Fernandez, Australian National University, Australia

Erwin Fielt, Telematica Instituut, Enschede, Netherlands

Steven Fraser, Australian National University, Australia

Eleanor Gates-Stuart, Australian National University, Australia

Tom Gedeon, Australian National University, Australia

Sigi Goode, Australian National University, Australia

Peter Green, University of Queensland, Australia

Dennis Hart, Australian National University, Australia

Pertti Järvinen, University of Tampere, Finland

Robert Johnston, University College Dublin, Ireland

Nigel Martin, Australian National University, Australia

Craig McDonald, University of Canberra, Australia

Peter Marshall, University of Tasmania, Australia

Lian O’Brien, National ICT Australia (NICTA), Canberra, Australia

Nicholas Pratt, ESSEC Business School, France

Michael Rosemann, Queensland University of Technology, Australia

John Venables, Curtin University, Australia

Xiaofang Zhou, University of Queensland, Australia

Workshop web site:

http://infs.fec.anu.edu.au/workshop

Further details will be added progressively to this web site.

Other details:

Submission of a paper implies that, if it is accepted, at least one author will register for the workshop and present the paper at the workshop.

Papers accepted for presentation will be published in the Workshop Proceedings. Copyright arrangements will be similar to those of the Australasian Conference on Information Systems. That is, the authors assign to the Workshop organizers a non-exclusive license to use the paper in full in the Proceedings and on the Workshop web site.

For further queries, email