European Journal of Information Systems (2011) 20, 375377

& 2011 Operational Research Society Ltd. All rights reserved 0960-085X/11
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EDITORIAL

Information design

Richard Baskerville Design thinking is a conceptual frame being advanced as a paradigm for
successful organizational management. It has the hallmarks of a potential
Editor-in-Chief management trend that could become emulated and fashionable among
ambitious managers (Abrahamson & Fairchild, 1999; Baskerville & Myers,
European Journal of Information Systems
2009). There are leading books that provide alternative, but consistent
(2011) 20, 375377. doi:10.1057/ejis.2011.22;
perspectives on design thinking (Brown, 2009; Martin, 2009). There is a
published online 17 May 2011
strong presence in the scholarly literature.
Brown (2008) defines design thinking as a discipline that uses the
designers sensibility and methods to match peoples needs with what is
technologically feasible and what a viable business strategy can convert
into customer value and market opportunity (p. 86). Design thinking is
centered on creativity and innovation in the face of highly complex
problems. The paradigm values the disorderly thinking of the artist as one
means to attack the wicked problems that defy more analytical and
deductive reasoning. It offers values for the art in good management
without completely departing from science and logic.
Like many other successful and leading ideas, design thinking incorpo-
rates many familiar and well-studied concepts. Its potential is improved by
its familiarity, a collection of venerated ideas repackaged in a novel and
useful way. For example, the holism of systems thinking is in here, although
anchored to the Senge (1990) variety better known among managers than
the more comprehensive varieties better known in information systems (IS)
(e.g., Churchman, 1971; Checkland, 1981). Organizational learning has also
been drawn into design thinking in several ways. In the face of complex and
highly multivariate problems, design thinking provides an avenue to learn
about the problem situation by designing alternative solutions and
considering the resulting alternative outcomes.
Design thinking delivers mental productions that align nicely with
Kants notion of generative versus analytical reasoning (Kant, 1908). The
most valuable reasoning processes are abductive, much the same as in
action research. The main criterion by which its mental products should be
measured are validity rather than reliability (Martin, 2010). This observa-
tion is traditional with the association of qualitative research and validity
rather than quantitative research and reliability (Gummesson, 1988).
Design thinking is also associated with exploration learning strategies
rather than exploitation learning strategies (Martin, 2010). These strate-
gies are also well studied (March, 1991). Combined, the features of the
reasoning processes in design thinking, represent a future-looking
orientation that assumes the solution to wicked problems will not lie in
past experience.
For managers of IS, design thinking may seem much less novel than it
will to other managers. Because design has always been a critical process
for IS, the importance of creativity and innovation in the search for
problem solutions will hardly surprise us. Nevertheless, an ascendency of
design thinking as an overall management paradigm may have important
implications for IS managers.
On the one hand, the innovation and exploration modes of design
thinking may affect the organizational presence of IS. There are at least
376 Editorial Richard Baskerville

four reasons why IS may become a more critical resource. aspects is to promote, within information design, more
First, because of their experience with design and ideal exploration learning strategies advocated by design
innovation, IS managers may be better prepared to take thinking.
overall leadership roles in design thinking efforts to IS has already provided the basic principles for a
tackle the organizations wicked problems. Second, for discipline of information design, enabled for example,
similar reasons, there may be increased demand for the by researchers in semiotics (e.g., Stamper, 1973), and
organizations IS personnel to contribute to problem- ontologies (e.g., Wand et al., 1999). However, the view of
solving teams with better potential to deliver design design within much of this work often has the heuristic
thinking orientations. Third, design thinking may help and analytic viewpoint of systems design, and often lacks
develop an organizational willingness to experiment and the creative and explorative character of design thinking.
prototype in the face of wicked problems. Such experi- Similarly, there are basic principles for exploration in
mentation may increase the overall demand for rapid IS design, such as prototyping (e.g., Fallman, 2003) and
IS development activities. Finally, design thinking may agile methods (e.g., Abrahamsson et al., 2009). But such
improve the organizations understanding about its approaches usually explore information design only
dependence on a cadre of talented design thinkers, that within the context of a feasible system of delivery. An
particular kind of person who can creatively choose the independent discipline of information design could be
elements within a complex problem setting that lead to a free in its formative stages from the shackles of exploi-
workable solution. This understanding can help IS tative learning that limit the explorative methods used
managers make their case for recruiting good designers. within IS.
Overall, the strategic role of IS could enter a new era in Such unbridled information design thinking would be
which the information component of organizational better enabled to consider the organizations wicked
innovation is re-situated in the face of the organiza- problems that have intractable information aspects. With
tions wicked problems. If design thinking leads to such its focus on creativity and innovation, the reasoning
changes in the organizational role of IS, it may finally process could explore exactly how information itself
dispel some of the misconceptions that followed in the should be creatively designed to alleviate the problem
wake of Carrs reconceptualization of IS as a utility (Carr, setting. Such an approach to information design might
2003). even be paradigmatically different from the design of IS
On the other hand, the design thinking frame may also or information resources because these latter elements
lead to revisions in the way IS managers go about tend to have more confining shackles to exploitative
their own function. Consider, if we were to accept the learning modes.
tenet that design thinking is a more elaborate or more Distinguishing information design as a different
expansive child of systems thinking. This vision might activity than IS design has important implications for
position a revision of our discipline, information design, IS from a design thinking perspective. Information design
as a child and possible heir to IS. In other words, design is likely to be more abstract and more focused on the
thinking could lead our profession to become more wicked business problem rather than the wicked
primarily concerned about the design of the organiza- information delivery system problem. Information de-
tions information and less primarily concerned about sign would defer the exploitative issues of designing any
the design of its systems. This outcome would be perhaps delivery system until after the validity of the information
less revolutionary for IS than management in general. design has itself been proven by experience.
Our field has always involved the design of information. As with other aspects of design thinking, information
We have to do this before we can design the IS that design is not necessarily new. Perhaps all that the design
delivers the information. But our very name, IS signifies thinking notion adds is an information design activity in
that for us, the importance is placed on the system that which the delivery systems problems are marginalized
delivers the information; the vehicle, rather than the while the business problem is centralized. Further, we are
systems contents, the information itself. familiar with the importance of getting well-designed
From a design thinking point of view, information information into use without waiting for efficient
design could represent an important shift in emphasis for delivery mechanisms. The first-to-market drivers of
the discipline if it frees, more-or-less, design of this e-commerce and cloud services have similar philosophies
information stuff from the design of the IS that delivers albeit different motives. Putting well-designed informa-
the stuff. This is partly because the design of IS has a tion into use, even without efficient delivery mechan-
process and storage orientation that immediately invokes isms, allows organizations to learn first what information
questions of efficiencies and economies. These efficien- to deliver, and afterwards decide exactly how to best
cies and economies are characteristic of exploitation deliver the information.
learning modes. Separating pure information design from Design thinking is not yet an IS trend, but it is certainly
IS design relegates questions of efficiencies and econo- a potent trend for organizational management. If it
mies to the systems designer while preserving the catches the imagination of managers and becomes wide-
business problem-solving ideal for the design-thinking spread, interesting research directions will open for IS
information designer. The reason for separating these researchers. The advance of new work in information

European Journal of Information Systems

design provides one promising avenue. Another would be achieve two critical social research faculties: Habermas
a changing strategic role for the organizational IS concept of ideal speech and Foucaults concept of
function. While it is not clear exactly how these ideas regimes of truth. The authors conclude this stimulating
will unfold in relation to IS practice, there are indeed essay by offering a set of guiding questions for critical
exciting new horizons that may open for IS scholars. social IS research.
In An Historically-Grounded Critical Analysis of
In this issue of EJIS y Research Articles in MIS, Francois-Xavier de Vaujany of
This issue includes a special section on the Kleinian Universite Paris-Dauphine, Isabelle Walsh of Strasbourg
Approach to IS Research with a separate introduction University, and Nathalie Mitev of London School of
by the special issue editors, Rudy Hirschheim, Kalle Economics critically examine the practice of scientific
Lyytinen, and Michael D. Myers. But before this special writing to enhance our understanding of the current
section, we have two fine articles from our regular publi- design of research articles in the field of IS. A review of
cation stream. the history of universities, learned societies, and scientific
When is the best time to use critical research articles is offered along with an historical analysis of two
approaches? In Focus Groups and Critical Social IS leading IS journals (EJIS and MIS Quarterly). Through an
Research: How the Choice of Method Can Promote analysis of 437 article abstracts in EJIS and MIS Quarterly,
Emancipation of Respondents and Researchers, Bernd the authors identify three main argumentative strategies
Stahl of De Montford University, Monica Tremblay of of scientific writing used in the two journals: deepening
Florida International University, and Cynthia LeRouge of knowledge, solving an enigma, and addressing a prac-
of Saint Louis University investigate the use of focus tical managerial issue. In relation to historical imprints of
groups in promoting emancipation in critical social management and business studies, the authors suggest
IS research. While critical social research has gained that the current practice of scientific writing in the field
prominence in IS, and is deemed by many authorities to of IS is heavily enigma focused while lacking in manage-
be a valid research approach, the authors argue that rially grounded rhetoric and reflexivity. The authors
there is a lack of agreement as to what constitutes a relate this discrepancy to a quest for academic legitimacy,
good fit between research methods and critical social and offer some suggestions, such as the addition of an
research. Motivated by this important issue, the authors innovative writing and development of an exchange
compare nine data collection methods based on the research platform that may be enriched in scientific
integral agenda pertaining to emancipation in critical writing in the field of IS.
social research. This comparison leads the authors to Thanks to Jong Seok Lee for his help with the
suggest that focus groups provide the most emancipa- summaries of the articles above. Together with the special
tory faculties for critical social research when designed issue editors, EJIS associate Editors Mikko Siponen of
and executed in light of a critical approach. A further Oulu University and Bernd Carsten Stahl of De Montford
investigation of two research studies that use focus University, join Editors Ray, Frantz, and myself in
groups lends a support for this argument; in particular, presenting this issue of EJIS. We trust you will find it
the findings suggest that the use of focus groups helps stimulating, useful, and insightful.

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