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Here, here! Cheers. Fil On 3 August 2010 21:59, David Sless <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hi All, > > In an earlier thread I made the following comment > > Today, there is also a major problem with the university administrative > category of 'research'. A great deal of so called 'research' in universities > is not really research at all. It's simply the application of routine > investigative procedures, much like the routine pathology testing done by > the medical profession. Unlike many pathology tests, much of this routine > investigation is of dubious validity. > > This applies particularly to so called 'design research', much of which is > the application of routine investigative procedures as part of design > problem solving. > > In relation to this body of investigative practices there are a number of > useful RESEARCH questions, in no particular order, and without being > comprehensive: > 1. Do these practices have proven validity, reliability, and sensitivity? > 2. At what stages of a design process is a particular investigative > procedure useful? > 3. Is one method more cost effective than another? > 4. What are the contingent assumptions associated with any particular > investigative method? > 5. How should designers use the findings from these investigative > procedures in designing? > > These, imho, are real research questions as distinct from collecting > information as a result of applying routine investigative methods as a part > of the design process. I would therefore suggest that it is useful to narrow > the application of the term 'research' to these types of investigation. The > consequence of not doing so is to seriously dilute the value of design > research > > David > -- > > > > blog: www.communication.org.au/dsblog > web: http://www.communication.org.au > > Professor David Sless BA MSc FRSA > CEO • Communication Research Institute • > • helping people communicate with people • > > Mobile: +61 (0)412 356 795 > Phone: +61 (0)3 9489 8640 > Skype: davidsless > > 60 Park Street • Fitzroy North • Melbourne • Australia • 3068 > -- Filippo A. Salustri, Ph.D., P.Eng. Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Ryerson University 350 Victoria St, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada Tel: 416/979-5000 ext 7749 Fax: 416/979-5265 Email: [log in to unmask] http://deseng.ryerson.ca/~fil/