Dear all,
thanks for all your nice responses so far. I have been asked to 'restart' this strand under a new title so that it can be more easily recognised and searched in the archive. The new heading is:
Defining DESIGN RESEARCH METHODS
For the official opening under new heading, and to prevent confusion, I copy my request (first two messages) below.
Message 1 (from 2004-10-11):
Dear all,
I am a mainly passive reader to the list, as many. However, the combination of Eric’s recent post (commenting that the debate on design research issues could be more focussed at times) and of my own interest in design research, have now sparked me to write.
I have completed my PhD in design earlier this year. One part of doing this degree is of course to think about the methodology and methods which to choose to conduct the research and to gain knowledge in whatever subject chosen.
One issue, which frequently reoccurs in the debate around research in the creative design disciplines (especially practice-based), is whether we have/choose established research methods from other disciplines (engineering, sociology, etc), whether there are research methods that are specific to design, or whether researchers in this area should invent their own methods…
I know we had some debate (earlier this year?) on the list about parts of this issue. However, what I would like to try with this call is to use the expertise of the list to establish
1) what specific design research methods there are in design, and
2) how are they different to design methods,
3) or whether they are only different in the mode of application.
With this, I would like to invite your suggestions. Please also give a reason for any suggestion(s) made.
If this undertaking proves successful, perhaps it can be taken further into a workshop at a forthcoming conference and/or some kind of publication.
Best regards to all,
Kristina
Message 2 (from 04-10-13)
Dear all,
I don't have time to reply in detail today, but I would like to thank everyone who has taken time to reply so far for their responses, and add a small comment to stir the debate.
I think the debate between Alec, David, and Cindy has proven what I set out in the beginning. That is, that there is still a confusion in some parts as to whether and what design methods can be used as research methods (and in what context), or whether design research methods are mainly taken from established fields, i.e. basics, qualitative, and quantitative methods as Cindy has indicated.
As Fatina indicated, design methods can obviously become an integral part of the research process. This is also my experience from my own PhD where I have used practice to explore some of the concepts investigated. However, although there are increasing sources, there is nothing, like a coherent debate, or some sort of basic agreement about these issues yet. Therefore the debate. Taken seriously, perhaps it could lead to some kind of compendium that sets out the ground-rules for (practice-based) research in art, craft, and design?
best wishes,
Kristina
Dr Kristina Niedderer
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