Characterization and process of building the Multidisciplinary Knowledge Base necessary for the development of technological projects

Abstract

This article reflects on the role of theory in a knowledge generation process that is not usually addressed in the classic literature on Research Methodology: technology development. It combines a conceptual approach with an example corresponding to a technology development project carried out by the authors. It analyzes the Multidisciplinary Knowledge Base necessary for this type of process, distinguishing two components within it: the Framework, which includes generic and global concepts, in the public domain and available a priori; and the Local Theory, which is not known a priori but must be constructed. Local Theory has a "local" character in the sense of its close political, economic, social, cultural, idiosyncratic, and environmental connection to the context in which technology development takes place; and it is dynamic: it evolves through reconstructions and reinterpretations during the development process. The process of constructing Local Theory is also analyzed, highlighting its iterative nature and the link it establishes between this theory, the developing technology, and its validation, finally resorting to a case study. In conclusion, just as scientific research involves the construction of theory, the process of technological development also entails the construction of a specific form of theory tailored to the “local” reality, called “Local Theory,” which arises from a situated reflective activity. This article is an expansion of the author's lecture at the 2025 IEEE Engineering Education World Conference (EDUNINE).