Exploring Design Science Research Project Characteristics: An Initial Empirical Investigation

Design science research (DSR) has gained increased attention in the past decades. This type of research is commonly organized as research projects that need to be managed thoroughly to achieve the intended outcomes. However, very little empirical data are available that provide insights into the nature of DSR projects. This this study aims to bet-ter understand DSR projects as a foundation for further studies. It provides first empirical data about DSR project characteristics that have been collected in eight semi-structured interviews with experienced scholars. The data show that DSR projects are heterogeneous in terms of size, complexity, duration, budget and research outputs. They have in common that they focus on relevance, the design of artifacts, evaluation and the involvement of industry partners. A comparison with related meta-studies reveals that research methods employed in DSR projects differ significantly from the ones identified in the meta-studies.