Design Research Methodologies

1. Break Out Session,Reveal Conference, June 16th Design Research Methodologies

2. Introduction • Design Research is increasingly less research about or for design and more research through design. • Researchabout design • Researching designers/teams and their practices • Research for design • Original (primary) research into stakeholders’ needs, wants, aversions, aspirations etc., technical opportunities, trends, etc.

3. Practice-BasedResearch • Research through design • Using design practices and artefacts to create knowledge that are beyond existing research methodologies • Least secure design research currently • cannot solely borrow mature research methodologies from established academic disciplines • research about/for design can adopt/adapt approaches from human sciences and technical foresight/audit • seeing increasing use of methodologies from Arts and Humanities in (Interaction) Design Research

4. Aim and Format • To form initial agendas for design research methodologies that focus respectively on research for, about and through design. • For research through design, design researchers must innovate to answer research questions that can only be (better) addressed through design interventions. • The nature and quality of methodologies for research through design will be a key focus for this session. • Four folk up front, three official criteria, and six questions for everyone

5. Four Folk Up Front • Daniela Rosner, University of California at Berkeley • Jeff Bardzell, Indiana University • ShaowenBardzell, Indiana University • Gilbert Cockton, Northumbria University

6. Three UK Criteria for High Quality Research • Original • Patents, registered designs etc. favour design research – strong track record in School • Significant • Market and/or critical impact, as well as academic impact, again strong track record • Rigorous • This is the major challenge for design research, which is stronger on originality and significance

7. Six Questions • What is unique about research through design? How does it differ from science, and what can it do that science cannot? • Can research for design can ever be sufficiently original and significant to warrant publication in internationally leading venues, or is it all just routine • e.g., as with materials testing, traffic surveys, market testing through focus groups etc)? • Can we do research about design without sometimes doing research for/through design? • Are interviews and observation (especially of staged design exercises) sufficient for research about design? • If not, what else is needed? • Is the development and assessment of new design and evaluation approaches research about, for or through design? • Are the research about/for/through design distinctions are adequate – and if not, then why not?

8. Brave Claims? • What is unique about research through design? • How does it differ from science, • What can it do that science cannot?

9. Can practice-based research cut it? • Can research for design can ever be sufficiently original and significant to warrant publication in internationally leading venues? • or is it all just routine? • e.g., as with materials testing, traffic surveys, market testing through focus groups etc.?

10. Do Design Research Modes Blur? • Can we do research about design without sometimes doing research for/through design?

11. How good is existing design research? • Are interviews and observation sufficient for research about design? • especially when staging design exercises • If not, what else is needed?

12. What sort of research is design methods research? • Is the development and assessment of new design and evaluation approaches research about, for or through design?

13. Back to Blur? • Are the research about/for/through design distinctions are adequate • If not, then why not?

14. Thank You for your Contributions Design Research Methodologies