Design science in public administration: producing both situational interventions and generic knowledge

Abstract Design science is making a comeback in the discipline of public administration: inspired by the growing popularity of design thinking, various scholars have highlighted the value of design science for the public sector. This theoretical and methodological article aims to contribute to the academic value of design science and focuses on the “double burden” of design science: how can it be applied in such a way that it generates both (relevant) situational interventions and contributes to (robust) generic academic knowledge? We identify which types of generic academic knowledge can be generated through design science in public administration: theoretical knowledge, design exemplars, methodological knowledge, and normative knowledge. We use these four types of generic knowledge to develop a new perspective on design science. We also present guidelines for design research that aim to generate both situational interventions and generic knowledge. These guidelines emphasize the need to be more rigorous and systematic in the process of design research as to ensure the validity and reliability of the contributions to generic knowledge for the discipline of public administration.