The formulation of design theories for information systems

The aim of this paper is to examine how Information Systems Design Theories (ISDTs) can be formulated. Drawing primarily on work by Heidegger (1993) and Simon (1996), it is proposed that the formulation of a design theory for information system artifacts should recognize six aspects of the design: the purpose, the form or shape, the material components, the means (development process), the underlying microtheories and the entailments of the design (insofar as these can be anticipated). A number of problems remain and further work is suggested.