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Dear Mike, Thanks for your reply. I agree with most of the issues you raise. I’m not here to debate. I simply want to clarify my view on two points you raise. In my view, it is impossible for visual media alone to communicate the metanarrative of research 1) clearly, and 2) with a reasonable (though never perfect) lack of ambiguity. Images can representation or reflect of internal thought and experience. It is difficult for images to communicate the nine elements of metanarrative 1) clearly, and 2) with a reasonable lack of ambiguity: 1. An explicit statement of the research problem, 2. A discussion of knowledge in the field to date, 3. A discussion of past attempts to examine or solve the problem, 4. A discussion of the methods and approach used to solve the problem in the paper, article, or thesis at hand, 5. A methodological comparison of possible alternative methods, 6. A discussion of problems encountered in the research, 7. A discussion of how the researcher addresses those problems, 8. An explicit statement of how the research paper, article, or thesis at hand contributes to the body of knowledge within the field, 9. A discussion of implications for future research. The other aspect of research that cannot likely be communicated in images without words is the explicit discussion of prior literature, the metanarrative of what others have thought. If someone is able to communicate these two aspects of research in visual form without words, I’d like to see it done. In this case, seeing is believing. Since we are both in Shanghai at the Emerging Practices Conference, I am going to wander down to breakfast to find you for a chat! Warm wishes, Ken Ken Friedman, PhD, DSc (hc), FDRS | Editor-in-Chief | 设计 She Ji. The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation | Published by Tongji University in Cooperation with Elsevier | URL: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/she-ji-the-journal-of-design-economics-and-innovation/ Chair Professor of Design Innovation Studies | College of Design and Innovation | Tongji University | Shanghai, China ||| University Distinguished Professor | Centre for Design Innovation | Swinburne University of Technology | Melbourne, Australia -- Mike Zender wrote: —snip— I suspect that your statement: <SNIP> Artists, cartoonists, or even some philosophers who want to communicate the content of experience may not need to use words. Artists, cartoonists, and philosophers who want to communicate research must use words, written or spoken. <SNIP> is more a reflection of ingrained bias from our educational system’s near total focus on writing for communication and its now near total neglect of communicating with visual symbols, and your own great writing skill, than a statement of fact. Because I am visually oriented I can easily think of things that words cannot do, communicate Picasso’s “Faun Revealing…” for example, but I have a harder time thinking of something that is impossible for visuals images to communicate, particularly if you include moving time-based images as noted above (cinema anyone?!?). It's hard for me to imagine an argument that could not be carried visually. Disproving that something is impossible is as simple as doing it and perhaps "Unflattering" is a first attempt at that, even if you arrant sure it is a completely successful PhD attempt. The fact the an early attempt leaves you on the fence should in fact be promising to further attempts. —snip— ----------------------------------------------------------------- PhD-Design mailing list <[log in to unmask]> Discussion of PhD studies and related research in Design Subscribe or Unsubscribe at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/phd-design -----------------------------------------------------------------