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Computational Thinking for Design Science Researchers – A Modular Training Approach

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Design Science Research for a New Society: Society 5.0 (DESRIST 2023)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 13873))

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Abstract

Addressing and solving challenges by designing innovative artifacts is one of the main objectives of design science research (DSR). However, to achieve this goal, learning the theory of DSR and its methodology alone is not enough. We argue that computational thinking (CT) is an important skill set for design science researchers, since it helps to understand and structure problems from a computational point of view, which is an important basis for developing effective and innovative information system artifacts. CT consists of four core components: (1) dividing the problem, (2) abstraction, (3) pattern recognition, and (4) algorithmic thinking. Therefore, it is a skill set that can support DSR researchers in a broad way. However, so far, CT is rarely taught and trained and mainly not part of DSR courses. To close this gap and to train CT comprehensively, we develop a course based on low code programming, in other words, programming with little to no code. Our training can be embedded in DSR courses in a modular way. Thus, during a DSR course, students and researchers can develop and improve various prototypes with little effort and transfer the acquired competence to new design projects. As a central contribution of our study, we show how the training of CT can be applied in a modular way in DSR courses.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Information Systems and Systems Engineering, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany

    Eva-Maria Zahn & Matthias Söllner

  2. Information Systems, University of Kassel, Kassel, Germany

    Ernestine Dickhaut & Mark Vonhof

Authors
  1. Eva-Maria Zahn
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  2. Ernestine Dickhaut
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  3. Mark Vonhof
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  4. Matthias Söllner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eva-Maria Zahn .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

    Aurona Gerber

  2. Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Richard Baskerville

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Zahn, EM., Dickhaut, E., Vonhof, M., Söllner, M. (2023). Computational Thinking for Design Science Researchers – A Modular Training Approach. In: Gerber, A., Baskerville, R. (eds) Design Science Research for a New Society: Society 5.0. DESRIST 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13873. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32808-4_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32808-4_23

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-32807-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-32808-4

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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