The Anatomy Of A Design Challenge For Initiating AI Innovation
Journal
European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS)
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2026-06-15
Author(s)
Research Team
IWI6
Abstract
Artificial Intelligence (AI) unlocks value-creation opportunities, but its complexity makes it a challenging design material, demanding well-prepared conditions for successful innovation. One reason organisations struggle to materialize AI's potential is initiating AI innovation, which relies on interdisciplinary teams, internal data integration, incremental development, and context information. The Design Challenge, i.e., problem formulation, serves as key artefact guiding AI innovation, but its conceptualisation remains undertheorized leading to a lack of theoretical foundation and practical guidance. Our study conceptualises the Design Challenge as a boundary object enabling interdisciplinary collaboration and serving as a reference point. We performed a qualitative cross-cases analysis of 42 design challenges to surface seven key elements being verb, object of innovation, internal data, technology, target group, context and potential, generating the Design Challenge's anatomy. This advances theoretical understanding of AI innovation and provides a conceptual schema to craft design challenges enhancing the likelihood of impactful AI innovations.
Language
English
Keywords
Design Challenge
AI Innovation
Boundary Object
Anatomy
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher place
Milan, Italy
Pages
18
Event Title
European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS)
Event Location
Milan, Italy
Event Date
15.06.2026
Subject(s)
Division(s)
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
JML_1058.pdf
Size
762.13 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
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