New
Journal of the Association for Information Systems (2024) AI Processed Human Reviewed
Using a Process Philosophy Perspective in Information Systems Research:Principles of Creative Evolution
This paper proposes a creative evolution process philosophy perspective for information systems (IS) research, grounded in the philosophical works of Henri Bergson and Alfred North Whitehead. It establishes a set of five core principles to shift the research paradigm from viewing reality as static entities to seeing it as continuous processes and conscious experiences. The authors demonstrate the practical utility of this perspective by re-examining the challenges and failures in large-scale requirements engineering.
Problem
Traditional information systems development and research predominantly rely on entitative worldviews that treat reality as composed of fixed, static objects and discrete time steps. This static perspective fails to capture the complex, evolving nature of human experience and temporal flow, which frequently leads to project failures in large-scale IT implementations. Furthermore, the IS literature lacks formal principles and criteria for conducting research anchored in process philosophy that accounts for human consciousness and free will.
Outcome
- Formulated five foundational principles for process philosophy in IS research: heterogeneous multiplicity, immanence in a process, experience over abstraction, consciousness in duration, and relational ontology.
- Identified entitative abstractions in traditional requirements engineering as a major contributor to large-scale IT project failures.
- Emphasized the critical role of human consciousness, inner time, and free will in co-creating technology systems that adapt to evolving organizational contexts.
- Identified entitative abstractions in traditional requirements engineering as a major contributor to large-scale IT project failures.
- Emphasized the critical role of human consciousness, inner time, and free will in co-creating technology systems that adapt to evolving organizational contexts.
What it means for you
- CIO / IT Executive: On Monday morning, schedule a 30-minute "process thinking" brainstorming session with your heads of engineering and product development to discuss a recent project that faced significant challenges, focusing on how evolving user needs and unforeseen contextual shifts, rather than static requirements, might have been the root cause.
- IT Manager: On Monday morning, initiate a 15-minute stand-up with your development team to specifically ask them to articulate one instance from the past week where a change in the team's understanding or a user's evolving need led to a necessary adaptation of their work, and how they managed that 'flow'.
- Business Strategist: On Monday morning, review the 'success metrics' for your current key strategic initiatives and identify one metric that relies heavily on a static, predefined outcome. Then, draft a brief proposal to reframe that metric to capture ongoing adaptability and emergent value rather than just initial adherence to a plan.
- Researcher: On Monday morning, dedicate an hour to re-reading your current research proposal, specifically highlighting any language that treats concepts as fixed entities. Then, rewrite one paragraph to emphasize the dynamic, experiential, and relational aspects of your subject matter, incorporating the principles of creative evolution.
- Policymaker: On Monday morning, identify one current policy or regulation within your domain that is narrowly defined by static criteria or historical precedents. Then, draft a one-page memo outlining how an update to this policy could incorporate principles of ongoing adaptation and feedback loops to account for emergent technological and societal shifts.
Transcript
Host: Welcome to A.I.S. Insights — powered by Living Knowledge. I’m your host, Anna Ivy Summers, and today we’re exploring a fascinating new study titled "Using a Process Philosophy Perspective in Information Systems Research: Principles of Creative Evolution." This study challenges the way we think about technology, organizational change, and business systems by shifting our focus from static things to continuous processes and conscious experience. Joining me to unpack this is our analyst, Alex Ian Sutherland. Welcome, Alex!
Expert: Thanks, Anna. It’s great to be here.
Host: So, Alex, to kick things off, what is the core problem this study is trying to address in the business and tech world?
Expert: Well, Anna, if you look at the history of major IT implementations, massive project failures are surprisingly common. Think of infamous multi-billion-dollar cancellations like the London Stock Exchange’s Taurus project or the UK NHS National Programme for IT. The authors of this study argue that a root cause of these failures is our fundamental worldview. Most business and systems design views reality as made up of fixed, static entities—like data tables, fixed software requirements, and rigid organizational structures—operating in discrete, linear steps.
Host: And that static worldview breaks down when applied to complex, real-world projects?
Expert: Exactly. When projects grow in scale and complexity, requirements aren't static things waiting to be "gathered." They are constantly shifting goals, driven by human negotiation, political ecologies, and changing environments. Trying to freeze them into rigid, abstract models early on creates a huge gap between the blueprint and living reality, which frequently leads to project collapse.
Host: That makes a lot of sense. So, how does this study propose we rethink information systems? What is their approach?
Expert: The study introduces what the authors call a "creative evolution process philosophy," drawing on the work of philosophers Henri Bergson and Alfred North Whitehead. Instead of seeing the world as a collection of static objects that occasionally move, this perspective sees reality as a continuous flow of processes, where "things" are merely temporary constellations of events. To make this actionable for research and practice, the authors lay out five foundational principles.
Host: Walk us through those five principles, Alex. What are they?
Expert: Sure. First is Heterogeneous Multiplicity—the idea that reality is diverse, complex, and always in a state of "permanent beta" or ongoing change. Second is Immanence in a Process—meaning the present moment inherently absorbs and builds upon its past, yet opens up new paths. Third is Experience over Abstraction, which warns us never to mistake our simplified software models for the living reality itself—the map is not the territory. Fourth, and perhaps most crucial, is Consciousness in Duration. This places human inner time, sense-making, and free will at the very center of system design. And fifth is a Relational Ontology—acknowledging that everything and everyone is deeply interconnected.
Host: I really love that fourth principle about consciousness and inner time. How does applying these principles actually change something like requirements engineering in a business setting?
Expert: It shifts the entire goal. In traditional requirements engineering, experts try to define all rules and features upfront. Under this process philosophy, requirements engineering becomes an ongoing, adaptive dialogue. It respects that human decision-makers need "inner time"—time to ruminate, deliberate, and exercise free will—rather than being rushed by automated algorithms. It also supports agile frameworks and "tailorable technologies"—systems designed to be adapted by users in real time as their work evolves.
Host: That sounds like a game-changer for business leaders managing digital transformation or artificial intelligence rollouts. What are the key business takeaways here?
Expert: The big takeaway is that technology shouldn't trap or automate away human consciousness; it should serve as a flexible artifact for human creativity. If business leaders design systems treating people as static data points or rigid functions, they risk project failure and employee alienation. But if they embrace a process mindset—building in flexibility, allowing systems to evolve, and respecting the time humans need for genuine reflection and decision-making—they will build far more resilient, successful organizations.
Host: A truly powerful message for today's fast-accelerating tech landscape. Alex, thank you so much for breaking down this groundbreaking study for us.
Expert: My pleasure, Anna.
Host: And thank you to our listeners for tuning in to A.I.S. Insights — powered by Living Knowledge. Join us next time as we continue to translate cutting-edge research into real-world business wisdom.
Expert: Thanks, Anna. It’s great to be here.
Host: So, Alex, to kick things off, what is the core problem this study is trying to address in the business and tech world?
Expert: Well, Anna, if you look at the history of major IT implementations, massive project failures are surprisingly common. Think of infamous multi-billion-dollar cancellations like the London Stock Exchange’s Taurus project or the UK NHS National Programme for IT. The authors of this study argue that a root cause of these failures is our fundamental worldview. Most business and systems design views reality as made up of fixed, static entities—like data tables, fixed software requirements, and rigid organizational structures—operating in discrete, linear steps.
Host: And that static worldview breaks down when applied to complex, real-world projects?
Expert: Exactly. When projects grow in scale and complexity, requirements aren't static things waiting to be "gathered." They are constantly shifting goals, driven by human negotiation, political ecologies, and changing environments. Trying to freeze them into rigid, abstract models early on creates a huge gap between the blueprint and living reality, which frequently leads to project collapse.
Host: That makes a lot of sense. So, how does this study propose we rethink information systems? What is their approach?
Expert: The study introduces what the authors call a "creative evolution process philosophy," drawing on the work of philosophers Henri Bergson and Alfred North Whitehead. Instead of seeing the world as a collection of static objects that occasionally move, this perspective sees reality as a continuous flow of processes, where "things" are merely temporary constellations of events. To make this actionable for research and practice, the authors lay out five foundational principles.
Host: Walk us through those five principles, Alex. What are they?
Expert: Sure. First is Heterogeneous Multiplicity—the idea that reality is diverse, complex, and always in a state of "permanent beta" or ongoing change. Second is Immanence in a Process—meaning the present moment inherently absorbs and builds upon its past, yet opens up new paths. Third is Experience over Abstraction, which warns us never to mistake our simplified software models for the living reality itself—the map is not the territory. Fourth, and perhaps most crucial, is Consciousness in Duration. This places human inner time, sense-making, and free will at the very center of system design. And fifth is a Relational Ontology—acknowledging that everything and everyone is deeply interconnected.
Host: I really love that fourth principle about consciousness and inner time. How does applying these principles actually change something like requirements engineering in a business setting?
Expert: It shifts the entire goal. In traditional requirements engineering, experts try to define all rules and features upfront. Under this process philosophy, requirements engineering becomes an ongoing, adaptive dialogue. It respects that human decision-makers need "inner time"—time to ruminate, deliberate, and exercise free will—rather than being rushed by automated algorithms. It also supports agile frameworks and "tailorable technologies"—systems designed to be adapted by users in real time as their work evolves.
Host: That sounds like a game-changer for business leaders managing digital transformation or artificial intelligence rollouts. What are the key business takeaways here?
Expert: The big takeaway is that technology shouldn't trap or automate away human consciousness; it should serve as a flexible artifact for human creativity. If business leaders design systems treating people as static data points or rigid functions, they risk project failure and employee alienation. But if they embrace a process mindset—building in flexibility, allowing systems to evolve, and respecting the time humans need for genuine reflection and decision-making—they will build far more resilient, successful organizations.
Host: A truly powerful message for today's fast-accelerating tech landscape. Alex, thank you so much for breaking down this groundbreaking study for us.
Expert: My pleasure, Anna.
Host: And thank you to our listeners for tuning in to A.I.S. Insights — powered by Living Knowledge. Join us next time as we continue to translate cutting-edge research into real-world business wisdom.