Research into Briefs --
That is actually the area of the (design or development) process which most
extensively utilizes research. While core design is difficult to penetrate
with explicit methodology, design programming (US) or briefing (UK) and
post design research (POE in architecture) are the phases of the
development process where explicit methodology works well. Actually, if we
think about these areas, we will see that we get involved in user needs
research and social design in its various forms.
------------------------------------------
Now the time came to discuss another problematic term: design research.
Most of the conflicts or contradictions on this list emerge because of very
different conceptualizations of design -- broad or narrow, domain-specific
or universal, theoretical or experiential, to name only a few. The
differences of backgrounds, training, skills, abilities, professional
reward systems and goals make this discussion list virtually a tower of
Babylon. I mentioned several times that designers are designers. You can't
change them. Even when they engage in research, they do it like design.
Which is not research. Sorry guys. I mentioned several times in the last
five years that research is not the most important thing in the world and
actually design is more mesmerizing for the general public. At least this
is my experience with women. (Please don't try to make a sexual harassment
case, think about your research.) It is time do decide who wants to make
design and who wants to do research and not bicker anymore over any and
every topic from incompatible positions. We all know the saying about
apples and oranges, but we in reality we are eager to do just that.
Enough for today ...
Lubomir
At 08:20 AM 9/26/2002 -0400, [log in to unmask] wrote:
>David,
>
>No you are not alone.
>
>If there is anything, (anything at all) we can take with us to work from
>the field of Design Research, that improves our work as a designer, then I
>totally concur.
>
>The enquiries and analysis of the way in which design problems are tackled
>seem sometimes more suited to superior 'Design Brief' development and
>substantially better post design event analysis - with a feedback loop in
>the form of focus group study.
>
>Maybe the field should be more accurately termed 'Pre and Post' Design
>Research, or to coin a lovely phrase 'Research into Briefs'.
>
>(Sorry couldn't resist it)
>
>
>Glenn Johnson
>
>
>Industrial Design Manager
>
>
>
>
>
>Industrial Design Studio, B/E Aerospace Inc.
>
>
>1455 Fairchild Rd. Winston-Salem NC 27105-4588 USA
>
>
>Tel. (1) 336 744 3143 Fax. (1) 336 744 6934
>
>
>http://www.beaerospace.com/
>
>
>
> davidsless
> <d.sless@COMMUNICAT To:
> [log in to unmask]
> ION.ORG.AU> cc:
> Sent by: PhD-Design Subject: Abstractions
> - This list is for
> discussion of PhDs
> in Design
> <PHD-DESIGN@JISCMAI
> L.AC.UK>
>
>
> 09/26/02 12:58 AM
> Please respond to
> davidsless
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Dear Colleagues
>
>I don't have the time to make long or sustained contributions, but I do try
>to read as many of the posts as I can. As the threads after 'common ground'
>progressed, I have become increasingly irritated (perhaps an effect of
>travelling 12,000 miles from UK to oz, or something I ate). As this is
>general irritation, I don't want to single out any individual for special
>mention. If the cap fits....
>
>When I made a modest contribution earlier, I said
> > in our field of information design there are
> > PROVEN ways in which we can improve our ability
> > to design, and we have, along with others,
> > done research which provides that proof. And we
> > continue to do such research.
>I had no particular expectations, but I did think that someone might have
>honed in on specifics, such as research data, case studies etc. Instead,
>the
>list seems to have gone off on yet another spiral of opinionated
>abstractions involving, among other things, hypothetical fried eggs.
>
>As a designer and, indeed as a researcher, I deal in very concrete things,
>whether they are artefacts, methods, or ways of thinking. These are the
>objects and tools of my trade. It worries me greatly that the kinds of
>debates going on on this list seem to spiral into abstractions rather than
>focusing on the concrete aspects of our trade and the apprenticeships we
>hope to encourage, as it were.
>
>I'm anxious to grow our field by sharing research and design experience
>with
>others, particularly the next generation of researchers and designers. But
>I
>seriously wonder whether the spirals of abstraction help?
>
>Am I alone?
>
>
>David
>
>--
>Professor David Sless
>BA MSc FRSA
>Co-Chair Information Design Association
>Senior Research Fellow Coventry University
>Director
>Communication Research Institute of Australia
>** helping people communicate with people **
>
>PO Box 398 Hawker
>ACT 2614 Australia
>
>Mobile: +61 (0)412 356 795
>
>phone: +61 (0)2 6259 8671
>fax: +61 (0)2 6259 8672
>web: http://www.communication.org.au
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