Dear Friends,
I wrote a paper for the past EAD conference. In this paper I argued that
there was a ck of synchronicity between Design Research and Design, a
symptom that Victor Margolin had long ago identified in comparison with
Medicine, for instance. Victor gave me the great pleasure of reading my
paper and asked me: Ok, there is such lack of synchronicity, but what shell
we do? I was surprised that Victor should think that we should do anything
about it. This is probably a Continental, Mediterranean attitude versus the
straightforwardness of Americans (the willing to do something useful). I
though that signalizing the persistence of the lack of synchronicity as a
symptom for the end of Design as we know it was more interesting than to
fight for a solution. But I respect Victor's work and personality a lot so I
give it a thought.
The answer has to do with this thread and to me is very simple: all design
research must end in a thing, artefact, object, product, system that possess
the ability to be in the world used by others than its author/authors and by
them (the authors) labelled as Design.
Design Research is (should be) thus distinct from Design Studies, Research
on Design, Design Philosophy, Design Theory, Design History.
Therefore if we consider a PhD in Design and admitting that a PhD is
obtained by research, what should be evaluated in order to award a PhD to
someone should be the correctness of the research conducted to achieve the
"artefact". In that sense what should be used to disseminate the research
should be the established academic research writing (papers, thesis,
chapters of books, books) WITH the artefact (or sufficient representations
of it). There is a very pertinent issue of originality. So BOTH research and
artefact should be original. On this subject I call other friend, Clive
Dilnot and his recent paper (2008): "The Critical in Design (Part One)" in
the Journal of Creative Practice where he points out the lack of the
Critical in Design research and meaningfully starting by an event in this
list.
To me (I guess to Clive also)and if all Design Research must end in an
artefact the research process depends of the deepness of the critical
stance. The originality and quality of the subsequent research (and
artefact) highly depends on that.
I also want o share some lighter moments with in the "The smooth blog to
travel drawing" www.eduardocortereal.wordpress.com where I posted 41
drawings made in England. If you just want to see the English drawings
please go to "categorias" and then to "England" on the right side of the
blog, very near to the old lady's shoe.
Hope you will enjoy.
Comments and corrections welcome.
Eduardo
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