Supporting Information Seeking in Software Development: A Design Theory for Local Retrieval-Augmented Generation Across Distributed Knowledge Sources
Research output: Contribution to book/Conference proceedings/Anthology/Report › Conference contribution › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
Software development revolves around two core activities: continuously seeking information and producing code. While coding has strong tool support, information seeking across distributed knowledge sources remains less systematically supported. Prior work shows that a major source of information seeking effort in software development arises from frequent switching between heterogeneous knowledge sources. Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) offers a promising approach by grounding generative models in organization-specific knowledge, enabling more context-sensitive information access. However, many RAG implementations rely on cloud-hosted Large Language Models (LLMs), raising concerns in privacy-sensitive contexts where proprietary data cannot be externally processed. Moreover, such systems often assume infrastructure, computational resources, and specialized expertise, conflicting with resource-constrained organizational contexts shaped by limited budgets, as is typically the case in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Local Small Language Models (SLMs) mitigate these constraints but are more prone to hallucinations. Following a Design Science Research approach, this study contributes a nascent design theory for cross-source information seeking under these constraints. In particular, we propose a local-first, modular design that focuses on retrieval quality. The prototype demonstrates how AI-assisted information access can be realized while retaining control over model execution. An evaluation conducted in an SME indicates organizational feasibility and improved access to information.
Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology (DESRIST) |
| Editors | Jan vom Brocke, Leona Chandra Kruse, Alan Hevner, Michael Rosemann, Monica Chiarini Tremblay, Robert Winter |
| Place of Publication | Cham |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Pages | 75-93 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| ISBN (electronic) | 978-3-032-28316-0 |
| ISBN (print) | 978-3-032-28315-3 |
| Publication status | Published - 2026 |
| Peer-reviewed | Yes |
Publication series
| Series | Lecture Notes in Computer Science |
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| Volume | 16605 |
| ISSN | 0302-9743 |
Conference
| Title | 21st International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology |
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| Subtitle | Design for better futures. Beyond the science of the artificial |
| Abbreviated title | DESRIST 2026 |
| Conference number | 21 |
| Duration | 8 - 10 June 2026 |
| Website | |
| Degree of recognition | International event |
| Location | Fürstbischöfliches Schloss Münster |
| City | Münster |
| Country | Germany |
External IDs
| ORCID | /0000-0001-6006-2594/work/211003143 |
|---|---|
| ORCID | /0009-0001-2082-642X/work/211005374 |