Design science research (DSR) deals with the design of artifacts to solve identifiable problems and the abstraction of knowledge from that process. In its original conceptualization, DSR has been popularly characterized as research that “creates and evaluates IT artifact intended to solve identified organizational problems” (Hevner et al., 2004, p. 77, emphasis added). More broadly, there is a recognition that DSR leads to artifacts that “serve human purposes” (March and Smith, 1995, p. 253). In particular, DSR can serve as an approach to tackle many of the wicked problems facing society today, including poverty, health, environmental degradation, climate change, disinformation, and terrorism.
This special issue targets DSR that addresses societal problems. In particular, we encourage submissions linked to any of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) identified by the United Nations, as well as work dealing with technologies that are transforming the world in which we live, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Recent studies in Decision Support Systems (DSS) have notably contributed to SDGs, spanning from enhancing healthcare quality to optimizing resource efficiency. Transparency is pivotal in advocating responsible DSR practices and design artifacts.
Recent DSR publications reflect a growing consensus within the community regarding the imperative to advance sustainable development. Examples such as these demonstrate the promise of DSR as a research paradigm for tangible societal impacts. With this special issue, we hope to encourage fellow design science researchers to create even greater impacts together.