Towards a Scheme for Contribution in Action Design Research

Abstract

Researchers are increasingly asked to engage with industry in research projects and contribute to both practice and academia. Action Design Research (ADR) is gaining traction in IS due to its potential to achieve this dual goal. While the practical utility of ADR projects is obvious, the role of design science research (DSR) in knowledge abstraction and accumulation is still unclear and the subject of much discussion. Some scholars suggest DSR should build theory, some that it should test theory, while others suggest that its contributions lie elsewhere. While the elaborated ADR model of Mullarkey and Hevner (2019) clarified the potential for artefactual contributions at different abstraction levels throughout the research process, other types of contribution were left for further research. Drawing on reflections from an ongoing research project using ADR, as well as research on theorizing and DSR contributions, we present a tentative conceptual scheme that considers both empirical, artefactual, theory building, and theory testing opportunities in ADR. We discuss the benefits of the scheme in identifying contribution opportunities and reflect on its utility in research design for industrially engaged DSR.