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A Perspective onThe Future of the IS Discipline

ACIS – 5 December 2013Geelong

Roger ClarkeXamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, Canberra

Visiting Professor in Computer Science, ANU

and in Cyberspace Law & Policy, UNSW

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An Information System

A set of interacting artefacts and human activities

that performs one or more functions involving the handling of data and information,

including data collection, creation, editing, processing and storage; and information

selection, filtering, aggregration, presentation and use

http://www.rogerclarke.com/SOS/ISDefn.html

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The Information Systems Discipline

• The multi-disciplinary study of the collection, processing and storage of data; of the use of information by individuals and groups, especially within an organisational context; and of the impact, implications and management of artefacts and technologies applied to those activities

• The scope of the information systems area is broad, both organisational and technical

• Graduates, practitioners and academics require grounding in, and ongoing association with, several cognate disciplines

(1990 – 2090?)

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SCOPE OF THE

COMPUTING STUDIES AND INFORMATION SCIENCES

DISCIPLINES

Note: The topic areas are indica tive only, and are NOT exhaustive

Note: The orientation dimension, comprising basic research, applie d research, product development an d

applications areas (such as commer ce, industry, government, librarie s, land information and health)

is orthogonal to this disciplinary dimension

AUSTRALIAN COMPUTER SOCIETY (ACS)

Australian Society of Certified

Practising Accountants (ASCPA)

Institution of Engineers (Australi a)

IE(Aust)

Computer

Science - CS

Information

Systems - IS

Commerce,

Bus. Admin.

Data

Structures

Algorithms

Financial &

Cost & Mgt

Accounting

MicroEcs

Audit

Marketing

Bus. Law

Individual &

Organisational

Behaviour

Information

Management

IT Management

Computer Systems

Engineering - CSE

Software

Engineering

Data Analysis

Database

Management

Knowledge

-Based

Systems

Computer

Architecture

Operating

Systems

Robotics

Compiler

Construction

Numerical

Computing

Engineering

Systems

Analysis

Decision

Support

Systems

Project

Management

Programming

Algorithms

Data

Structures

Networks

Graphics

Discrete Maths

Electronic

Materials

& Devices

Digital

Circuitry

Signal

Analysis

Control &

Communication

Theory

Engineering

Graphics

Machine

Tools

Engineering

Design

Materials

Science

Production

Management

Artificial

Intelligence

Formal

Language

Theory

Concurrency

Computational

Theory

Logic

http://www.rogerclarke.com/SOS/ISFundas.html (1992)

InformationSystems – IS

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Alternative Foci for Research

• Processincl. Applications of TechnologyHow did / does / will it work?

• Adoption, ImpedimentsHow did /does / will it come to be used?

• ImpactWhat were / are / will be its 1st-order effects?

• ImplicationsWhat were / are / will be its 2nd-order effects?

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Alternative Perspectivesand Units of Study

• An Org'l Sub-Unit• An Organisation• An Industry Sector

or Value-Chain• An Economy• A Nation-State

Technology Researchin organisational contexts

Rational Management Research – Technology as an intervention into organisational settings

http://www.rogerclarke.com/SOS/AIS-AJIS.html

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Alternative Perspectivesand Units of Study

• An Org'l Sub-Unit• An Organisation• An Industry Sector

or Value-Chain• An Economy• A Nation-State

• A Person• A Group of People• A Society• Humanity• The Biosphere• ...

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Alternative Motivations for Research

• Pure ResearchBecause it’s thereContribute to abstract, theoretical understanding

• Applied ResearchI have a hammer, so go and find me a nail

• Instrumentalist ResearchI have a problem, so go and find me a solution

• Policy ResearchHere’s a solution, so what’s the problem?

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Conventional, Scientific Research Key Features

• Investigates Research Questions within a Domain

• Is driven by Theories that:• (Ideally) are founded on Axioms• (Ideally) comprise trees of Deductive

Inference• Generate refutable Hypotheses

• Is designed to Test the Hypotheses• Exercises Control over confounding variables• Leads to Theory Extension, Refinement or Anomaly

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Conventional Scientific ResearchCorollaries

• Anomaly accumulation should be gradual • Rigour is paramount, in order to build

Theory• Because the primary purpose is Rigour,

Relevance has to be a secondary consideration

• Unstable phenomena are highly inconvenient

• Perturbable phenomena are as well

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• Understanding is needed of the world that's emerging around us, not the one being left behind

• Unstable and Perturbable Phenomena are not amenable to highly rigorous empirical research

• Relevance must be the primary criterion, with Rigour as an important constraint

• An Instrumentalist approach is needed, not elegant theoretical constructs, 'validation' inside imaginary worlds, and intellectualised discourses about them

Propositions

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A Future for the IS Discipline

• Abandon the Existential Angst• Focus on Data and Information, not I(C)T

Technology is second-order, not disciplinary core• Encompass Analysis, not just Design

• Stop worshipping the God called Rigourand get back to balance against Relevance

• Extend beyond Applications to Implications• Stop ceding Policy-Relevant Research

to other, less timid disciplines

http://www.rogerclarke.com/SOS/AISHist.html#Tens