文章基本信息

标题：Four Criteria for Design Theories
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作者：Peter Hodges ; Peter Hodges ; Stan Ruecker 等
期刊名称：She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation
印刷版ISSN：2405-8726
出版年度：2017
卷号：3
期号：1
页码：65-74
DOI：10.1016/j.sheji.2017.02.003
语种：English
出版社：Elsevier
摘要：AbstractThe goal of this paper is to demonstrate that the adoption of the four criteria we outline will strengthen future design theories and encourage existing design theories to expand or reconfigure in useful directions. We propose four criteria for design theory creation and evaluation. These are (1) the theory should have substantial design applications, and be applicable to any topic; (2) the theory should use propositions—if-then language—as a way of describing, explaining, and predicting actual and existing aspects of designing; (3) where appropriate, a new theory should accept and adopt propositions and language contained in other design theories; and (4) the theory should accommodate, or at least acknowledge, generative activity. We are not proposing a new general design theory—this paper outlines a strong approach to studying and building theory. Please also note that this essay does not pretend to exhaust a topic that has been discussed for at least the last 50 years.Highlights•We propose 4 criteria for either evaluating or creating theories of design.•We argue that the adoption of these 4 criteria will strengthen future design theories and encourage existing design theories to expand or reconfigure in useful directions.•The theory should have substantial design application but can deal with any topic.•The theory should use propositions (i.e. if-then language) as a way of describing, explaining and predicting actual and existing aspects of designing.•Where appropriate, a new theory should accept and adopt propositions and language contained in other design theories.•The theory should accommodate or at least acknowledge generative activity.
关键词：Design theory;Generative activity;Design research