The two volume Informing Science series is the first attempt to
survey and synthesize research in the informing science
transdiscipline. Part textbook, part collection of readings, the
two volumes present both important research findings relating to
the field and highlight fertile directions for future research.
Volume Two: Design and Research Issues applies the building
blocks of informing science described in Volume One:
Concepts and Systems to design and research questions. It
begins by looking at alternative approaches to informing system
design. These include structured methodologies, agile
approaches, effectuation, and emergent models. A series of
chapters follows that present research findings related to a
series of topics that have played an important role in the
development of informing science as a research area. These
include the relationship between rigor and research methods,
threats to informing (such as misinformation and disinformation),
the nature of informing impact, information cascades, the
relationship of culture to informing, and the research-practice
gap. The book concludes with a chapter that considers possible
extensions to the current informing science research agenda
and an afterword that presents the author’s reflections on the
development of series and its long term future.
