AUTHOR
Malin Hermansson

DATE
2000-08-13

DEPARTMENT
Industriell ekonomi och samhällsvetenskap / Informatik och systemvetenskap

SUMMARY
To invent, to design and to create things for use, have always played an important role in human history and the short history of computers. In the mid of the 20th century an area of research called design theory and its methods was born. According to Cross the breakthrough of design methodology was made in the beginning of the 1960s until the early 1980s. This period of build up is usually divided into three generations; the first, the second and the third generation. The literature on design methodology and its development are often derived from disciplines that deal with industrial design, architecture, urban design and design of engineering. In the Scandinavian Information Systems research efforts have been made to get a picture of the different currents that have existed since the early 1960. However, there is no comparison to be found between the evolution of the general design methodology and the design methodology in the discipline of Information systems, in Sweden referred to as Informatics. The aim of this thesis will be to examine two Swedish Universities to illuminate the shift of focus that has occurred in the discipline of Informatics. These shifts will then be put in a general design methodological framework. Questions that will be asked are; if and in what way the discipline of Informatics follows the general design methodology? What are the similarities and differences between the two universities? What influences in society can have affected the evolution of design methodology in the discipline of Informatics? The research is based on a qualitative approach and the methods used are based on interviews and exposition of documents. From using the period of build up as a theoretical framework and compare it with the development in design methodology in the discipline of Informatics the following has been illuminated. In the present state all the three generations can be found in varying degree in the discipline of Informatics. The difference is that the evolution of design methodology in Informatics had characteristic differences compared to the general design methodology. This especially concerning the second and third generation of design methodology, that put forward user- participation and the creative part of design work. The design methodology in the discipline of Informatics also seems to have a tendency to shift focus when technical changes occur in society.

ISSN 1404-5508 / ISRN LTU-SHU-EX--00/198--SE / NR 2000:198