From a design science perspective, information systems and their components are viewed as artifacts. However, not much has been written yet on the ontological status of artifacts or their structure. After March & Smith’s (1995) initial classification of artifacts in terms of models, constructs, methods and instantiations, there have been only a few attempts to come up with a more systematic approach. This conceptual paper provides an ontological analysis of the notion of artifact grounded in the foundational ontology UFO. Its core is an ontological characterization of artifacts, and technical objects in general from a Design Science Research perspective, developed in conversation with other approaches. This general artifact ontology is applied in a systematic classification of IS artifacts. We include practical implications for Design Science Research.

从设计科学的角度来看，信息系统及其组件被视为工件。但是，关于人工制品或其结构的本体论状态的文献还很少。在March＆Smith（1995）根据模型，构造，方法和实例化对工件进行初始分类之后，只有很少的尝试来提出一种更系统的方法。本概念文件对基于基础本体UFO的工件概念进行了本体分析。它的核心是从设计科学研究的角度对人工制品和技术对象进行本体描述，并与其他方法进行对话。此一般工件本体应用于IS工件的系统分类。