Digital Traces of Information Systems: Sociomateriality Made Researchable

In this paper, we point to the potential and implications of digital traces as novel data source in the study of contemporary activities and behaviors. We do this to raise awareness of IS researchers of such traces in increasingly complex sociomaterial practices. We develop a two-dimensional framework of data sources (subjective/objective and digitalized/non-digitalized) for analyzing a six-year literature survey comprised of five leading IS journals. The analysis positions current data sources employed within the framework, and sheds light on the under utilization of digitalized data sources. This disconcerting result suggests that IS researchers must pay more attention to the changing landscape of data sources. To motivate and guide fellow colleagues to establish the credibility and reliability of digital traces, we develop a future research agenda that covers both opportunities in theory generation and challenges in data collection.