The Ecology of Learning-by-Building: Bridging Design Science and Natural History of Knowledge

A growing stream of research in Information Systems Organizational Studies is focusing on Design Sciences. not only because a deep understanding of design processes is perceived as fundamental in order to enhance artifacts quality. but also because design activity is more and more understood as a powerful opportunity to create new knowledge But what are the relationships between design as a pragmatic. problem-solving activity, and design as a learning activity' Moreover. what are the relationships between design as a learning activity, and "proper" scientific research' Even more importantly. under what conditions does successful learning-by-building more probably take place' Natural sciences, and Konrad Lorenz in particular, have given important contributions to answer these questions This paper seeks to demonstrate how eco-evolutionary thought. which has been quite overlooked in our disciplinary field so far, could be useful to build an effective, multi-disciplinary. epistemologically sound basis to Design Sciences