Dear Philippa,
A comment on your post below, I am afraid we are here confusing terms.... and
our minds for that matter! And notwithstanding what few say about "erudite"
viewpoints, this is one of those many times we need enlightenment from those
who know better..., like Ken and others, never mind how "long" (aren't they
instructive?) are their posts!
Back to your post, wouldn't be better to reserve the term "research", with or
without capital "R", whether in Design or in Marketing, only to mean:
1. careful or diligent search
2. studious inquiry or examination, esp.: investigation or experimentation
aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted
theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such
new or revised theories or laws*
Whereas, perhaps, "data gathering" would better do in conveying the concept
and activities referred to in your post.
By the way, all these terms (except Marketing Research) are already listed
for thorough definition in our still to come Design Compendium (or Glossary).
Once we accomplish this urgent "Research" task consisting in clearly
establishing our concepts and activities in Design, and encapsulating them
into appropriate vocal vehicles, then we'll be fixed, I hope with less
confusion.
* Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, 1980.
François-X.
> Dear All,
> I wonder if the list has addressed the issue Prashant had in mind when
> he posted a few days ago. He seems to be probing the difference between
> design and market research and I wonder if he actually means where one
> stops and the other starts within a commercial design process. We have
> had lots of postings about design Research - research used here with a
> capital 'R' meaning the creation of new knowledge etc etc as has been
> well aired on this list before. But in the industrial context what
> usually goes on is research - used here with a small 'r' to mean
> identifying consumer needs, current trends etc etc (again as well aired
> on this list, this could be 'R'esearch but this isn't the debate I want
> to get into here).
>
> So what is the difference between market and design research in the
> industrial context? Let's start with the idea that market research is
> undertaken by MR professionals and design research by design
> professionals. They use different methods and different 'languages' and
> the results therefore are often not communicable to each other. MR is
> often not used by designers- either because they do not get to see it,
> do not understand what it says or do not choose to believe what is says.
> They can even come up with different answers to the same basic question!
> Essentially however, the two exercises have a different purpose and
> attempt to reduce risk and find answers to the questions posed at
> different stages in the design process.
>
> Colleagues have posted good suggestions for reading around design
> r/Research issues and it is useful to compare methods and purposes as
> suggested in these and what is suggested in any standard market research
> text. Its also a subject specifically covered in books that explore the
> design process or design management such as:
>
> Bruce and Bessant (2002) Design in Business. Staretegic Innovation
> Through Design. Prentice Hall
>
> or
>
> Hollins and Hollins (1991) Total Design. Managing the design process in
> the service sector. Pitman
>
> However, design research may vary according to the product area
> and I believe practice is vastly different at the moment from the kind
> recommended in texts. My research (which is with design consultancies in
> the UK) suggests that most designers first of all look for past
> solutions to similar tasks from other often respected designers, rather
> than going back to the fundamental human issues of the problem. In some
> areas where design solutions need to be generated fast - as in say
> graphics and fashion - there is no time for this fundamental research.
> Design research is often therefore a continual process of absorbing new
> ideas from a wide variety of places and people which is then 'stored'
> for retrieval when a particular design need arises. It's fascinating to
> speculate how or what individual designers choose to absorb and how this
> then impacts upon the quality of their design solutions. This is a
> substantial area of my own research which looks at social networks and
> social capital and how designers use these to fuel innovation.
>
> Prashant, hope this helps
>
> Philippa Ashton
>
> Principal Lecturer in Design Management
> Staffordshire University
> UK
>
> and
>
> Senior Research Fellow,
> London Institute
> UK
>
|