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Dear Ken, I feel deeply for your condition. But alas, I am afflicted by a monster deadline which involves me in taking microsoft style sheets and complex financial legislation and turning them into documents that will help consumers avoid being tricked by greedy bankers. I have 24 hours to complete the task. On your condition: as an expert in these matters I can assure you that you or not turning into a zombie etc. The good news is that your condition is experienced by a growing number of people in our society. The bad news is that the condition is chronic and terminal. The main physical symptoms are a loss or thinning of hair on the head and a mysterious reappearance of that hair, strangely thickened, in ears and noses. There are no recorded cases of hair on the palms, thickened or otherwise. There is no cure but palliative care is in order. The best medicines are good food, cigars, and alcohol. The best behavioural therapies involve developing a sense of humour and a delight in tall stories. With that in mind I offer the following: In my long career as an Academic Administrator and Chair of the Research Committee of a Prominent Internationally Renown University, I received a research funding application from one Mary Shelly. It was titled: 'Making a Monster:a design research proposal.’ It was in two parts: 1. Gathering the bits: research for design This involved, as I understood it, collecting limbs, organs, bones, skin, and bodily fluids and applying routine pathology tests to identify the best bits. The Research Committee, as I recall, were very impressed with this part. “A classic example of good design research” as one Senior Professor put it. They decided to award a major grant for this part before retiring for a wonderful lunch at the staff club. After lunch they turned their attention to the more problematic second part. 2. Designing a Monster: research through design This involved assembling the bits in an interesting, creative, human-centered design, tying the whole thing to a lightning conductor, and waiting for a perfect storm. This was not viewed well by the committee. “Design is not research!” opined the Dean and the rest of the Committee muttered agreement. They decided not to award any funding for the second part and suggested that the candidate describe it in a different way, if at all possible. They also took the view that the proposal might have some minor difficulty with the University Research Ethics Committee. The candidate, furious at the rejection of part of her proposal, wrote to the Committee saying “It was all or nothing! How dare they challenge creative genius!” I seem to recall that she gave up any ambition to attain a PhD and became a novelist and poet instead. What a waste of talent! And now back to a monster of a different kind. Stop worrying, and enjoy your weekend. David -- blog: http://communication.org.au/blo <http://communication.org.au/blo>g/ web: http://communication.org.au <http://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 (03) 9005 5903 Skype: davidsless 60 Park Street • Fitzroy North • Melbourne • Australia • 3068 ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 -----------------------------------------------------------------