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This page describes a simplified* version of a methodology for designing artifacts that aims aim to solve specific technical problems. This abstract view of the methodology was inspired by the Design Science Research (DSR) initially positioned by Hevner in [1-2], and in particular by its information- and software-oriented version described by Wieringa in [3].
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The word "simplified" implies here that the intention is not to replace or reinvent the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology already established in academic research. Instead, this interpretation adopts the fundamental components of artifact design from DSR that can serve as a guideline to frame multiple collaborative projects within a unified specific structure. Please follow this simplified methodology for designing artifacts within the COVESA alliance. If you require a research-oriented design, please refer to the corresponding literature on DSR or similar scientific frameworks. |
DSR is used in fields like information systems and engineering to solve real-world problems by creating innovative solutions. Think of it as a way of applying a guideline (i.e., a structured process) to design something new or to answer open questions about an already existing design. In DSR, the innovative solution is generally referred to as an artifact. It's like an organized way of inventing cool stuff to solve practical problems!
Problem: Specific issue or challenge that requires a solution or improvement.
Goal(s): Ultimate objective(s) that a solution aims to achieve, typically formed by the stakeholders' desires.
Requirements: Criteria and specifications that the artifact must meet to address the identified problem and achieve the set goals. Typically presented as functional and non-functional.
Artifact: Represents the tangible outcome of a design that aims to solve the problem and fulfils the specified requirements and goals.
The term "artifact" may sound too abstract and ambiguous at first. However, it is only a general way to cover multiple possibilities under the same methodology. In practice, this word is replaced with a specific artifact type. Nevertheless, using its generic form is helpful at the initial stages of a project, where the solution's particular shape has yet to be defined. As the list of specific artifacts could be extensive, one can directly link any piece of technology as a subcategory of these eight parent types (adapted from [*4]):
Artifact type | Explanation | Examples |
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System design | Description of a structure, a process, or some interaction. |
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Method | Activities that are performed by people in order to accomplish a particular task or solve a problem. |
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Language or Notation | Symbols, rules, or conventions used to represent information or instructions as a formal abstraction of reality. |
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Algorithm | Description of a machine-executable step-by-step procedure or set of rules designed to solve a problem or perform a specific task. |
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Guideline | Suggestion regarding behaviour in a particular situation. |
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Requirements | Statements about a system. They constraint the operational conditions. |
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Pattern | Reusable elements of a design. |
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Metric | Any model that can be used to evaluate aspects of system design. |
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This table was adapted from [4]. |
[1]
A. Hevner, S. March, J. Park, and S. Ram, “Design science in information systems research,” MIS Quarterly, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 75–105, 2004.
[2]
S. Gregor and A. Hevner, “Positioning and presenting design science research for maximum impact,” MIS quarterly, pp. 337–355, 2013.
[3]
R. J. Wieringa, Design Science Methodology for Information Systems and Software Engineering. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2014. doi: 10.1007/978-3-662-43839-8.
[4]
P. Offermann, S. Blom, M. Schönherr, and U. Bub, “Artifact Types in Information Systems Design Science – A Literature Review,”
in Global Perspectives on Design Science Research, vol. 6105, R. Winter, J. L. Zhao, and S. Aier, Eds., in Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 6105. , Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2010, pp. 77–92. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-13335-0_6.