Key Indicators for Linguistic Action Perspective in the Last Planner® System

The Last Planner System (LPS) and Scrum are established planning and control methods that have produced positive results in managing complex projects. They are based on two different but overlapping theoretical frameworks: Lean Production and Agile Project Management. However, there is a lack of academic studies on how to combine those methods and whether their theoretical underpinnings are compatible. Furthermore, previous studies about those methods have not addressed the context of multiple projects developed simultaneously, and the connections between project management from the perspective of client organisations and production management from the perspective of suppliers. This research work proposes a planning and control model for this context. Using Design Science Research (DSR), an empirical study was carried out at a department store company in Brazil. The practical contributions of this study are related to adapting and combining LPS and Scrum elements to the context investigated. The model includes innovative practices, such as integrated look-ahead planning meetings between the project and the production management levels and using Scrum practices to remove certain constraints. This study also sheds light on the commonalities and differences between LPS and Scrum based on how they support the application of important production principles in construction.

Enhancing medical radiation science education through a design science research methodology

Natural science research is the most common and widely used research methodology. Various fields such as physics, biology, social and behavioral apply this research methodology. However, not all research is suitable for using the natural science research methodology in computer fields such as information technology, computer science, and information systems. Research that aims to solve problems by developing an artefact is more suitable for using the design science research methodology. Unfortunately, there are still many researchers who do not understand or even do not know this methodology. In this paper, we discuss the design science research methodology framework to reintroduce this methodology. The discussion starts with the theory of design science research, which explains five stages, from the explicated problem to the evaluation stage. Furthermore, an example of the application of this methodology is presented for the timetabling problem. This application example shows how the design process was and what the results were. This paper is expected to provide knowledge to researchers, especially for researchers who should use this methodology.

As a tribute to Ray Levitt’s early computer science contributions, this paper presents the research methodology he and I in close collaboration with Barbara Hayes-Roth followed to develop the SightPlan system. This research methodology falls under the umbrella of what is known as “design science.” Design science concerns itself with designing and making artefacts to fulfil a purpose, and then testing and validating that they indeed are fit-for-purpose. Design science does not belong in the category of physical science or of fundamental science; instead, it falls in the category of the sciences of the artificial. This paper describes the methodological steps pursued in design science and in parallel illustrates how these steps were instantiated and what artefacts were produced in the course of developing the SightPlan system, a blackboard expert system that lays out temporary facilities on construction sites. The aims of this paper are to recognise Ray’s work as an advisor and researcher, reflect on and promote the use of design science in construction management and economics and thereby participate in the ongoing discussion on research methods in this journal, and illustrate to scholars in this field that research is an opportunistic endeavour.

The emerging impact of cloud computing in businesses has become a great driving force for business success and cannot be understated. The lack of a tailored functional application software, even though a framework exists, poses a significant challenge to SMEs. Without a digital corresponding software solution, SMES struggle to conduct a practical assessment since the framework offers only theoretical guidance. A well-developed cloud implementation assessment tool is essential for SMEs to thrive. The main aim of the study was to develop a robust cloud implementation assessment system for SMEs to evaluate their cloud implementation readiness. Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM), is a kind of research methodology which aims at developing and evaluating innovative artefacts, in the form of models, frameworks, designs, or prototypes, to solve complex and practical problems. Framework Usability Validation used. On the Clarity of the framework, none of the respondents strongly disagreed, representing 0%. 8 respondents, representing 15.4% disagreed, and 3 respondents, representing 5.8% were unsure. The system was developed using the Django Python web framework. Out of 43 respondents, 18 participants (42%) found the Learn Cloud Phase helpful, 3 participants (7%) found the Assessment and Cloud Choice Phase helpful, and 15 participants (35%) found the Migration Phase helpful. Additionally, 4 participants (9%) reported that all phases were helpful, 2 participants (5%) indicated that none of the phases were helpful, and 1 participant (2%) was uncertain about the helpfulness of any phase. In this paper, the design science Research (DSR) method was utilised to develop and evaluate the cloud implementation assessment system for SMEs. Key features of the developed system include learn cloud, assessment, cloud choice and migration phase. The developed system was said to be very useful and suitable, solidifying its value as a helpful resource for small businesses aiming to utilise cloud technology. A cloud assessment system was developed to aid in assessing SMEs' cloud readiness and implementation. Generally, SMEs responded positively to the cloud computing implementation framework.

We propose a methodological framework based on design science research for the design and development of data and information artifacts in data analysis projects, particularly managerial performance analysis. Design science research methodology is an artifact-centric creation and evaluation approach. Artifacts are used to solve real-life business problems. These are key elements of the proposed approach. Starting from the main current approaches of design science research, we propose a framework that contains artifact engineering aspects for a class of problems, namely data analysis using machine learning techniques. Several classification algorithms were applied to previously labelled datasets through clustering. The datasets contain values for eight competencies that define a manager’s profile. These values were obtained through a 360 feedback evaluation. A set of metrics for evaluating the performance of the classifiers was introduced, and a general algorithm was described. Our initiative has a predominant practical relevance but also ensures a theoretical contribution to the domain of study. The proposed framework can be applied to any problem involving data analysis using machine learning techniques.

PurposeThe main goal of this research work is the optimization of the purchasing business process in the Moroccan public sector in terms of transparency and budgetary optimization. The authors have worked on the public university as an implementation field.Design/methodology/approachThe design of the research work followed the design science research (DSR) methodology for information systems. DSR is a research paradigm wherein a designer answers questions relevant to human problems through the creation of innovative artifacts, thereby contributing new knowledge to the body of scientific evidence. The authors have adopted a techno-functional approach. The technical part consists of the development of an intelligent recommendation system that supports the choice of optimal information technology (IT) equipment for decision-makers. This intelligent recommendation system relies on a set of functional and business concepts, namely the Moroccan normative laws and Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology's (COBIT) guidelines in information system governance.FindingsThe modeling of business processes in public universities is established using business process model and notation (BPMN) in accordance with official regulations. The set of BPMN models constitute a powerful repository not only for business process execution but also for further optimization. Governance generally aims to reduce budgetary wastes, and the authors' recommendation system demonstrates a technical and methodological approach enabling this feature. Implementation of artificial intelligence techniques can bring great value in terms of transparency and fluidity in purchasing business process execution.Research limitations/implicationsBusiness limitations: First, the proposed system was modeled to handle one type products, which are computer-related equipment. Hence, the authors intend to extend the model to other types of products in future works. Conversely, the system proposes optimal purchasing order and assumes that decision makers will rely on this optimal purchasing order to choose between offers. In fact, as a perspective, the authors plan to work on a complete automation of the workflow to also include vendor selection and offer validation. Technical limitations: Natural language processing (NLP) is a widely used sentiment analysis (SA) technique that enabled the authors to validate the proposed system. Even working on samples of datasets, the authors noticed NLP dependency on huge computing power. The authors intend to experiment with learning and knowledge-based SA and assess the' computing power consumption and accuracy of the analysis compared to NLP. Another technical limitation is related to the web scraping technique; in fact, the users' reviews are crucial for the authors' system. To guarantee timeliness and reliable reviews, the system has to look automatically in websites, which confront the authors with the limitations of the web scraping like the permanent changing of website structure and scraping restrictions.Practical implicationsThe modeling of business processes in public universities is established using BPMN in accordance with official regulations. The set of BPMN models constitute a powerful repository not only for business process execution but also for further optimization. Governance generally aims to reduce budgetary wastes, and the authors' recommendation system demonstrates a technical and methodological approach enabling this feature.Originality/valueThe adopted techno-functional approach enabled the authors to bring information system governance from a highly abstract level to a practical implementation where the theoretical best practices and guidelines are transformed to a tangible application.

Correctly identifying and classifying food is decisive in food safety. The food sector is constantly evolving, and one of the technologies that stands out is augmented reality (AR). During practical studies at Companhia de Entreposto e Armazéns Gerais de São Paulo (CEAGESP), responsible for the largest food storage in South America, difficulties were identified in classifying aromatic herbs due to the large number of species. The project aimed to create an innovative AR application called ARomaticLens to solve the challenges associated with identifying and classifying aromatic herbs using the design science research (DSR) methodology. The research was divided into five stages according to the DSR methodology, from surveying the problem situation at CEAGESP to validating the application through practical tests and an experience questionnaire carried out by CEAGESP specialists. The result of the study presented 100% accuracy in identifying the 18 types of aromatic herbs studied when associated with the application’s local database without the use of an Internet connection, in addition to a score of 8 on a scale of 0 to 10 in terms of the usability of the interface as rated by users. The advantage of the applied method is that the app can be used offline.

This study uses the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) approach in creating an artifact on the perspective of the Information System. Design Science as a valuable tool for creating a new artifact or developing an existing artifact through research. The DSRM Framework described in this study discusses the implementation of each stage, namely, Explicated Problem, Define Requirement, Design and Development, Demonstration, and Evaluation and is complemented by the implementation of case studies of artifact creation in DSRM stages. The Digital Maturity Measurement in question is a service to measure digital maturity in various dimensions. Each DSRM stage is mapped to a case study of that service. Canvas visualization is presented to describe a complete picture of how the artifacts of Digital maturity services are built with the DSRM approach. This research also provides guidance on the principles, procedures, and characteristics needed to build effective research.

Based on reviewing foremost literature, this paper discusses various design science research methodologies and related to them case studies. I have identified common activities that may create an outline of a reference model for design science. The model will apply to a design step activity in any design science methodology. I also present my assumptions, based on structured interviews, that the current abstract level of design science methodologies may cause poor quality of content of its artefacts. As for the measurement of quality, I discuss representational information quality dimensions. The contribution of the paper is to relate design sciences theories with research activities by providing a design science process oriented framework. My observations indicate that it will help improve the quality of design science artefacts.KeywordsDesign Science MethodologySystematic FrameworkDesign Science Literature ReviewInformation Quality Dimensions

Knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) such as consulting and research and development services are important factors of performance and innovation in industrialized economies. However, current modeling techniques aimed at supporting service design do not account for their core characteristics such as the relational nature of exchanges among providers, clients, and other actors. Using data from a case of academic research and development service as a type of KIBS, we present a modeling technique that can support the design of successful service engagements in this domain. This work is guided by the understanding of service as a process of collaborative value creation, or value cocreation. Beyond the contribution of the modeling technique to KIBS design, our work shows the strength of using a Design Science Research methodology in creating design artifacts that are strongly aligned with the problem domain for which they are developed.

Course and instructor evaluations (CIE) are essential tools for assessing educational quality in higher education. However, traditional CIE systems often suffer from inconsistencies between structured responses and open-ended feedback, leading to unreliable insights and increased administrative workload. This study suggests a modular system to address these challenges, leveraging sentiment analysis and inconsistency detection to enhance the reliability and efficiency of CIE processes.BackgroundImproving the reliability of CIE data is crucial for informed decision-making in higher education. Existing methods fail to address discrepancies between numerical scores and textual feedback, resulting in misleading evaluations. This study proposes a system to identify and exclude inconsistent data, providing more reliable insights.MethodsUsing the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM), a system architecture was developed with five modules: data collection, preprocessing, sentiment analysis, inconsistency detection, and reporting. A dataset of 13,651 anonymized Turkish CIE records was used to train and evaluate machine learning algorithms, including support vector machines, naive Bayes, random forest, decision trees, K-nearest neighbors, and OpenAI’s GPT-4 Turbo Preview model. Sentiment analysis results from open-ended responses were compared with structured responses to identify inconsistencies.ResultsThe GPT-4 Turbo Preview model outperformed traditional algorithms, achieving 85% accuracy, 88% precision, and 95% recall. Analysis of a prototype system applied to 431 CIEs identified a 37% inconsistency rate. By excluding inconsistent data, the system generated reliable reports with actionable insights for course and instructor performance. The purpose of this study is to design and evaluate a new system using the Design Science Research (DSR) approach to enhance the accuracy and reliability of course evaluation processes employed in higher education institutions. The modular system effectively addresses inconsistencies in CIE processes, offering a scalable and adaptable solution for higher education institutions. By integrating advanced machine learning techniques, the system enhances the accuracy and reliability of evaluation reports, supporting data-driven decision-making. Future work will focus on refining sentiment analysis for neutral comments and broadening the system’s applicability to diverse educational contexts. This innovative approach represents a significant advancement in leveraging technology to improve educational quality.

This research conceptualises and validates a design theory for developing Community Collaboration Support Systems (CCSS) to enhance supply chain (SC) resilience during crises. We constructed a knowledge base to derive kernel theories, following the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology. Utilising exploratory and confirmatory focus groups as the primary data collection methods, we refined and validated the proposed CCSS design theory, ensuring its robustness, applicability, and validity. This study not only contributes to the field of information collaborative systems through the theoretical conceptualisation of CCSS theory but also provides practical insights for researchers and practitioners, fostering advancements in crisis management and community collaboration support systems.

Higher Education Institution are complex organizations that require an adequate IT infrastructure and information systems to fulfill their mission. IT governance as ‘an important part of enterprise (corporate) governance that articulates the processes, structures and relational mechanisms in the organization that enable both business and IT people to execute their responsibilities in support of business/IT alignment and the creation of business value’. It is evident that there is a lack of studies on IT governance for higher education and no studies conducted yet on this paradigm. Due to the considerable difficulty in implementing IT governance frameworks for different organizations, thus may require different solutions for IT governance. The propose model illustrates how IT governance align with enterprise governance and corporate governance of Philippines’s Higher Education Institution. A Design Science Research (DSR) methodology was adopted which is extensively used in information systems research to solve complex problems. The researchers thus recommends that a combination of COBIT and ISO/IEC 3800 guidelines be adopted and used with a balanced scorecard for enterprise governance as IT Governance Framework for higher education institutions in the Philippines. This will ensure effectiveness and efficiency of IT processes as well as accountability to all stakeholder in the higher educational institutions.

The aim of the article is to present a framework enabling the quick and practical assessment of the nature of business processes, necessary to select business process management (BPM) tools and methodologies in accordance with the actual nature of BPs in the organization. The lack of such compliance reduces or delays the results, or it can even cause the failure of BPM implementations. To avoid this risk, organizations should be aware of the nature of their processes prior to planning and implementing BPM. The article summarizes extensive literature studies and experiences resulting from the practical implementation of business process management in organizations with diverse types of business processes. Developed in accordance with the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, the Business Process Nature Assessment Framework (BPNAF) uses an approach that combines business process management with the management of the knowledge used and created in the course of the process execution. The article presents the concept of the business process space and the Business Process Nature Assessment Framework (BPNAF) based thereon, which enables the quick and efficient assessment of the nature of business processes in an organization in terms of their unpredictability and knowledge intensity. The presentation of the results enables the objective recommendation of the selection of implementation methodologies, HRM policies, or IT systems supporting BPM in line with the real nature of business processes implemented in the organization, in a way that is understandable to both specialists and non-specialists. The article is dedicated to researchers, but above all to practitioners using BPM. The application of the presented BPNAF allows managers to choose the methodology and tools supporting the management of business processes, but also human resources or knowledge, in accordance with the objective nature of the processes and the needs of the organization. The simplicity and speed of analysis, as well as the ability to directly use its results in the initial implementation of business process management, mean that the benefits of using the BPNAF are much greater than the effort or preparation costs involved. An important limitation of the work is the fact that the analysis of the business process space and, consequently, the BPNAF are limited to only two dimensions: unpredictability and knowledge-intensity. The article presents the original concept of the business process space and the author's model of the BPNAF framework based on its two-dimensional version. The supplement of BPM implementation methodologies with the use of the results of this work is of key importance for the success or failure of implementations.