An information systems phd by artefact and exegesis?

In this conceptual paper, we speculate on the possibility that a PhD by Artefact and Exegesis (A&E) may be legitimate in the Information Systems (IS) discipline. Research, as creative process and product with the intention of yielding new knowledge, takes many forms across the spectrum of academic disciplines. Other disciplines, particularly in the humanities' fields of arts and design, have artefacts as a discrete part of their PhD product accompanied by an exegesis of one form or another. It may be that some research in the IS discipline lends itself to the A&E approach. This paper considers A&E PhDs in Humanities and practice-related research more generally. We investigate how A&E might apply to IS research through comparison with the design science approach. We suggest tentative impacts on candidates, supervisors and examiners then conclude with critical issues and open questions raised by our investigations.