ABSTRACT
This chapter further describes kernel theories for design science. Such kernel theories define the basic assumptions in the design process. The first layer of information service design involves problem identification and project planning on the basis of the basic product (solution of the problem) assumptions and process (realization of the project plan) assumptions for a project. Design kernel theories may be empirical (i.e., descriptive, explanatory, and predictive), normative, ethical, or analytic theories that ground product and process design decisions. Product-oriented design theories prescribe user requirements and generic solutions (designs) in specific contexts. Process-oriented design theories prescribe development practices, methods, and techniques for certain requirements and enabling environments (Walls et al., 1992; Markus et al., 2002). This chapter reviews kernel theories for product-oriented and process-oriented views on information services. As kernel theories we take Churchman’s “inquiring systems”, which present different modes of creating knowledge from different conceptualizations of the nature of knowledge, as presented in Chapter 1. Following Churchman, the pragmatist (Singerian) inquiring system is an umbrella to make each presented inquiring system useful in the broader context of improving the informative reality of information producers and consumers. Key elements of this Churchmanian view are explained in the following section, after which the different product-oriented and process-oriented kernel theories are described. The end of this chapter reviews the strong and weak elements of each theory and its implications for the rest of this book.
