---
_id: '65311'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: Information Systems (IS) is rooted in systems theory. Systems theory offers
    powerful concepts to address challenges of growing system complexity and non-systemic
    design approaches in information systems. Despite its systemic origins, systems
    theory remains a peripheral topic in IS. The study addresses this gap by introducing
    a comprehensive framework of 52 systems-theoretical concepts to guide the design
    of complex IS artifacts. We synthesize scattered systems knowledge from diverse
    disciplines to provide a unified level of abstraction for complex information
    system design. We apply the framework to a use case of business reputation systems
    to show how the systems lens informs the design of a novel, complex information
    system. We make three key contributions to the literature. First, the framework
    provides a common ground for interdisciplinary research in information system
    design. Second, it offers a unified level of abstraction grounded in systems theory
    that serves as a coherent basis for artifact design. Third, it demonstrates the
    potential of systems theory as a foundational justificatory knowledge base. Furthermore,
    we provide guidance on applying the framework across multiple modes of reasoning,
    alongside further application guidelines. The study thus serves as a bridge between
    the body of systems knowledge and contextual design in IS.
alternative_title:
- Design Your System
article_type: review
author:
- first_name: Ulvi
  full_name: Ibrahimli, Ulvi
  last_name: Ibrahimli
- first_name: Simon
  full_name: Hemmrich, Simon
  last_name: Hemmrich
- first_name: Axel
  full_name: Winkelmann, Axel
  last_name: Winkelmann
citation:
  ama: 'Ibrahimli U, Hemmrich S, Winkelmann A. Bridging Systems Theory and Information
    Systems: A Framework for Designing Complex Information Systems. <i>Communication
    of the Association for Information Systems</i>. Published online 2026. doi:<a
    href="https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/">https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/</a>'
  apa: 'Ibrahimli, U., Hemmrich, S., &#38; Winkelmann, A. (2026). Bridging Systems
    Theory and Information Systems: A Framework for Designing Complex Information
    Systems. <i>Communication of the Association for Information Systems</i>. <a href="https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/">https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/</a>'
  bibtex: '@article{Ibrahimli_Hemmrich_Winkelmann_2026, title={Bridging Systems Theory
    and Information Systems: A Framework for Designing Complex Information Systems},
    DOI={<a href="https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/">https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/</a>},
    journal={Communication of the Association for Information Systems}, publisher={AIS},
    author={Ibrahimli, Ulvi and Hemmrich, Simon and Winkelmann, Axel}, year={2026}
    }'
  chicago: 'Ibrahimli, Ulvi, Simon Hemmrich, and Axel Winkelmann. “Bridging Systems
    Theory and Information Systems: A Framework for Designing Complex Information
    Systems.” <i>Communication of the Association for Information Systems</i>, 2026.
    <a href="https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/">https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/</a>.'
  ieee: 'U. Ibrahimli, S. Hemmrich, and A. Winkelmann, “Bridging Systems Theory and
    Information Systems: A Framework for Designing Complex Information Systems,” <i>Communication
    of the Association for Information Systems</i>, 2026, doi: <a href="https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/">https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/</a>.'
  mla: 'Ibrahimli, Ulvi, et al. “Bridging Systems Theory and Information Systems:
    A Framework for Designing Complex Information Systems.” <i>Communication of the
    Association for Information Systems</i>, AIS, 2026, doi:<a href="https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/">https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/</a>.'
  short: U. Ibrahimli, S. Hemmrich, A. Winkelmann, Communication of the Association
    for Information Systems (2026).
date_created: 2026-04-02T04:19:09Z
date_updated: 2026-04-02T04:32:05Z
department:
- _id: '195'
doi: https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/
extern: '1'
external_id:
  unknown:
  - https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol58/iss1/37/
jel:
- D83
- L14
- D83
- O33
- C63
- P
keyword:
- Information Systems Research
- Systems Theory
- System Complexity
- System Design
- Design Science
language:
- iso: eng
publication: Communication of the Association for Information Systems
publication_identifier:
  unknown:
  - 1529-3181
publication_status: published
publisher: AIS
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: 'Bridging Systems Theory and Information Systems: A Framework for Designing
  Complex Information Systems'
type: journal_article
user_id: '83557'
year: '2026'
...