Call for Papers
Swiss Design Network Symposium 2008
30 – 31 May 2008 in Bern, Switzerland
«Focused» – projects and methods of current design research
http://symposium-konkret-08.hslu.ch/

The Symposium 2008 of the Swiss Design Network (SDN) puts the “daily practice” of
design research on its agenda.

Real-world design research projects illustrate questions, processes, methods and activities,
with which they have been planned, approached, executed and evaluated. Projects are connected 
to various design disciplines, ranging from product design to interface design, visual 
communication and service design. In other words: projects are related to products, services, 
interfaces, information, communication and environments, or they focus on integrated systems of 
products, services and customer experiences.

Special attention will be given to specific design research related procedures that aim at
generating insights and design knowledge.

Project results should put in perspective a useful repertoire of tools that help plan and
accomplish design research projects – from formulating research questions up to evaluating
research results.

Papers, disputes and workshops are the means by which the SDN symposium 2008 intends
to contribute to the further development of design research.

Contributions might address some of the following topical fields:
– Which roles do design projects play in different research settings?
– How is design knowledge articulated and communicated?
– How do design research projects proceed?
– What are the limits of methods of design research, and where do they cross the lines to
other disciplines?
– How are specific questions and specific methods and/or method sets connected with one
another?
– How is design knowledge connected with the knowledge of other disciplines?
– What are relevant and practical design research methods in the context
of applied design research?
– How are trans-disciplinary research projects organized?
– How are research questions formulated, and how are research goals set?
– Which roles do language and understanding in interdisciplinary research projects play?
– What are the appropriate organisational, financial and administrative means for design
research?

Tentative timetable for the symposium
Early December 2007 Call for papers
17 December 2007 Abstract submission begins
19 January 2007 Deadline for Abstracts
1 – 8 February 2008 Abstracts accepted
28 March 2008 Deadline for Full Papers
18 April 2008 Papers accepted/revised
30 May 2008 Symposium opens

Review process
The process for review is in two stages: abstracts and full papers. For each abstract and full paper, 
two reviewers will review in a double blind process (double-blind process means hiding the 
names of the referees from the authors, and also hiding the names of the authors from the 
referees).

Abstracts
Written abstracts should not exceed 2 A4 pages and include references. The abstract should 
indicate the context of the research including a research plan as well as the main findings and 
conclusions. Abstracts must be supplied in PDF format. Detailed instructions on the format and 
how to submit it will be available on the symposium web site soon.

Full papers
Authors are invited to submit a full paper upon their accepted abstracts. This invitation will 
include comments and most probably suggestions of the reviewers. Intention is that the original 
reviewers (of the abstract) will read and comment also on the full paper draft.

Review Group
The symposium is inviting an international reviewer group that will be listed on the symposium 
web site soon.

Submissions
Submission for the symposium will be by e-mail. More information will be available on the 
symposium web site soon.

Conference mailing list
Join the conference mailing list to receive information about submitting a paper and attending the 
conference.
Send your E-mail to [log in to unmask]


In the name of the Swiss Design Network

Arne Scheuermann
Bern University of Applied Sciences
Bern University of the Arts
Bern, Switzerland
[log in to unmask]

Roman Aebersold
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
Art & Design
Lucerne, Switzerland
[log in to unmask]

Hans Kaspar Hugentobler
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
Art & Design
Lucerne, Switzerland
[log in to unmask]