Constructive design research: three methodologies
Ilpo Koskinen
Department of Design, Industrial Design
School of Art and Design
Aalto University
One current issue in design is how best to do research that serves design. Practical research in industry aside, research is done in many ways in design, but usually from outside, through looking at design as an object of historical, philosophical, or technical study. Design as such plays only minor role in this research.
Over the last 15 years, researchers have generated ways to make design a central part of research methodology. This is what I call constructive design research, which is done successfully in many places.
This presentation looks at three ways in which this research is done:
- Lab: laboratory style work that seeks to base design on law-like statements and works as the natural sciences
- Field: fieldwork-based research that is much like interpretive social science, but with some differences
- Showroom: research building on art, design, and engineering rather than the two above
The presentation looks briefly at the history of constructive design research, these three ways of doing it, and things that are common in them. It ends with discussion of design education.
The presentation is based on Lab, Field, Showroom, a forthcoming book (Morgan Kaufman, September 2011), authored by Ilpo Koskinen with four co-writers, Thomas Binder from Danish School of Design, Johan Redström from Interactive Institute in Sweden, Stephan Wensveen from TU/Eindhoven, and John Zimmerman from Carnegie Mellon University in the United States.
(Palestra de entrada livre em sala a designar)
(Palestra de entrada livre em sala a designar)
