Construct Validity
Construct validity establishes the correct operational measures for the concepts being studied. This entails selecting the specific changes to be studied and then demonstrating that the selected measures of these changes reflect the specified change. For this research the concepts being studied were the activity characteristics that determine evolution and sensitivity. The definition of evolution and sensitivity used in this study was from the seminal work by Krishnan et al. (1997). To establish construct validity one must show that the identified activity characteristics (i.e., the determinants of evolution and sensitivity) result from a common understanding of the terms “evolution” and “sensitivity.” The approach for establishing validity of the construct was the use of multiple sources of data, through interviews with multiple designers within each sector-based case study. Similar responses from multiple interviewees demonstrated that there was a common understanding of the concept being studied. An example of a common interview response was the relationship between standardization and evolution. Several interviewees described the use of standard equipment in the design process as a way to speed up the evolution of an activity. This showed a common understanding of the concept of evolution among these interviewees.