Research Methodologies and Product Design

Research Methodologies and Product Design chris ebbert, workshop 2, DCC4

Let’s work with the statement that our entire work process as product designers creates a trail of research activity, and can even be classified entirely as research. Here’s how and why – please reflect on it in your workbook, and illustrate it with examples:

• “As product designers, we are empirical researchers whenever we engage in a trial and error mode of exploring solutions.” Cue-words: Ideations, Study Models, Variations.
• “We are theory-based researchers whenever we work on the basis of existing solutions.” Cue-words: Incremental Innovation, Me-Too Approaches, Reverse Engineering, IP-Research.
• “We are quantitative researchers whenever concrete data are needed to complete our design work.” Cue-words: Benchmarking, Market Research.
• “We are qualitative researchers whenever perception plays a role in our work.” Cue-words: Haptics, semantics, semiotics, cultural considerations.
• “We are action researchers whenever we make our work available to further instances and participate in the ensuing proceedings.” Cue-words: Prototype Testing, Prototype Refinement.
• “We are engaging in reflective practice throughout the entire design experience.” Cue-words: “What does this solution do with me?” Be it your own, or someone else’s, at any stage of the design process.

IP Research for product designers
It is wise to get involved in Intellectual Property research (patents and copyrights) at an early stage of the design process. It helps establish the following aspects of direction for the project, and its early completion can save much time and money:

• Who? You must identify possible IP holders, and possibly interact with them.
• What? You must define the exact range of purposes and capabilities you wish to address with your project.
• Why? You must justify the introduction of your new solution.
• Where? You must identify your markets and your sources.
• When? You must time the IP process with its related obligations.

I suggest using your PDS2 project to practice answering the five “W”- Questions above in your workbook for DCC4. Introduce the project on a page in your workbook, and try to find answers to the questions as they might pertain to your PDS2 project. If you can think of other, even hypothetical projects to use for this exercise, feel free to use them instead, or in addition.