170 ◾ Design Science Research Methods and Patterns
resources, or the problem may be too vague or too broad to make a meaningful
knowledge contribution possible. In the latter case, the problem may look more like
routine design instead of design science research or the expected knowledge con-
tribution may lack generality. e reviewing of the scope of the proposed research
and redening the research problem is quite commonly done before the problem
gets fully rened and well focused.
Context/Applicability
e pattern needs to be used at the beginning of the research project but is also
reused as the problem awareness phase is often revisited even after moving to the
suggestion phase of the research.
Description
1. Review the current formulation ...