CDM2008: Design Research

This course introduces design research as a structured and systematic way to identify design opportunities and develop reasonable, persuasive arguments for early creative ideas and assumptions. Students learn how to turn broad interests into researchable questions, create and compare design alternatives, and collect qualitative and quantitative evidence through user studies. Throughout the semester, each team develops one design research project and communicates its process and findings through presentations and a short research paper.

• Frame focused and researchable questions from broad design interests and early creative ideas.
• Develop comparable design alternatives and research stimuli that enable fair and meaningful evaluation.
• Plan and conduct user studies using appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Analyze evidence and communicate persuasive findings, design implications, and limitations through presentations and a short research paper.