Abstract
Design science research (DSR) aims to generate generalizable knowledge on how to design effective solutions to real-world problems. In some instances, however, previously evaluated design knowledge may no longer be suitable to build effective solutions for current-day problems. This paper therefore proposes a framework to assess the temporal validity of extant design knowledge. By analysing inferences made in the creation of design knowledge, I identify four preconditions that must be met to apply previously evaluated designs in a similar way to more recent problem instances. Furthermore, specific checks are proposed to guide practitioners and researchers in their verification of previously evaluated design knowledge. The proposed framework and checks support the reuse of previous design knowledge to solve new problem instances and complement ongoing efforts in the scientific community to facilitate the cumulative collection of design knowledge over time.
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Beese, J. (2021). Assessing the Temporal Validity of Design Knowledge. In: Aier, S., Rohner, P., Schelp, J. (eds) Engineering the Transformation of the Enterprise. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84655-8_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84655-8_11
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