Design methods: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:25, 20 December 2005

Revision as of 03:34, 20 December 2005

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After the 1962 conference, many of the participants began to publish and to define an area of research that focused on design. The [http://www.designresearchsociety.org/ Design Research Society] was founded in 1967 with many participants from the Conference on Design Methods in 1962. The purpose of the Society is to promote "the study of and research into the process of designing in all its many fields" and is an interdisciplinary group with many professions represented, but all bound by the conviction of the benefits of design research.

An interesting shift onthat whataffected design methods and design studies was definedthe aspublication researchin came1968 from [[Herbert Simon]], the Nobel laureate, who presented "The Sciences of the Artificial" in 1968. He proposed using scientific methods to explore the world of man-made things (hence artificial). He discussed the role of analysis (observation) and synthesis (making) as a process of creating man-made responses to the world he/she interacted with. He characterized design as "wicked problems" in which every solution created new problems. Simon's concept had a profound impact on the discourse in both design methods, and the newly emerging design studies communities in two ways. It provided an entry of using scientific ideas to overlay on design, and it also created an internal debate weather design could/should be expressed and practiced as a type of science with the reduction of emphasis on intuition.

Simon's concept had a profound impact on the discourse in both design methods, and the newly emerging design studies communities in two ways. It provided an entry of using scientific ideas to overlay on design, and it also created an internal debate weather design could/should be expressed and practiced as a type of science with the reduction of emphasis on intuition.

The word design can be viewed both as a "noun" and a "verb" – or both a skill to create artifacts as well as a framework for understanding. Therefore design, in the widest sense, is a basic human activity that addresses the need to create and transform the environment to serve the needs of the human condition. Design went from being a basic activity to a trade where craftsman took aspirations and interpreted them into physical objects. It was further transformed by the industrial revolution and modernity.

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[http://tigger.uic.edu/~victor/ Victor Margolin], a leader in the definition and practice of design studies has written extensively on this issue. He stated that "Since design is related to a practical activity – designing – at least part of its accountability should derive from its usefulness to practicing designers of all kinds, not necessarily in the narrow sense of informing technique but also in the larger sense of contributing to the development of consciousness and values." (p. 7, Design of the Artificial)

Nigan Bayazit, professor at the [http://www.tasarim.itu.edu.tr/ Istanbul Technical University] published an excellent overview of the [http://mitpress.mit.edu/journals/pdf/desi_20_1_16_0.pdf/ history of design methods]. She stated that "Design methods people were looking at rational methods of incorporating scientific techniques and knowledge into the design process to make rational decisions to adapt to the prevailing values, something that was not always easy to achieve." The following is what design research is concerned with:

* Design research is concerned with the physical embodiment of man-made things, how these things perform their jobs, and how they work.

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* Design research is a systematic search and acquisition of knowledge related to design and design activity

[http://technology.open.ac.uk/design/cross.html/ Nigel Cross] has been prolific at articulating the issues of design methods and design research. The discussionsdiscussion of what is design research and is design science is was articulated by Cross. His thesis is that design is not a science, but is an area that is searching for "intellectual independence." He views the original design methods discussions of the 1960's as a way to integrate objective and rational methods in practicing design. [[Scientific method]] was borrowed as one framework, and the term "design science' was coined in 1966 at the Second Conference on the Design Method focusing on a systematic approach to practicing design. Cross defined the "science of design" as a way to create a body of work to improve the understanding of design methods – and more importantly that design methods does not need to be a binary choice between science and art.

==Resources==