FFD 501 | Course Introduction and Application Information - Design Studies (With Thesis)

Course Name

Design Research Methodology

Code	Semester	Theory (hour/week)	Application/Lab (hour/week)	Local Credits	ECTS
FFD 501	Fall/Spring	3	0	3	7.5

Prerequisites	None
Course Language	English
Course Type	Elective
Course Level	Second Cycle
Mode of Delivery	-
Teaching Methods and Techniques of the Course	Discussion Group Work Case Study Critical feedback Lecture / Presentation Field work/Application
National Occupation Classification	-
Course Coordinator	-
Course Lecturer(s)	Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Elif KOCABIYIK SAVASTA
Assistant(s)	-

Course Objectives	This course aims to provide an overview of design research and its methodology within different design fields (e.g. visual communication design, industrial design, interior design, fashion design, architecture) among other research traditions. It investigates the formation of design knowledge through research and practice of design with a focus on methodology.
Learning Outcomes	The students who succeeded in this course; Distinguish design research and its key features among other research traditions. Define the research in design, the practice in design and their varying in-between relations. Discuss research positions, theoretical lenses for research, and methodology for research in design. Identify research families, research approaches and research techniques. Apply research techniques individually and/or in groups. Structure a research plan about their own thesis topics including theoretical background, research problem, research methodology and bibliography. Present their studies in written and verbal ways. Fulfill the requirements related to research ethics and plagiarism.
Course Description	In this course, students read articles and chapters from books, and follow instructor’s presentations about design research including the history, key features, ‘research vs. practice’ relations, research positions, theoretical lenses, methodology and methods. Based on these readings, they write summaries/short essays, work on their own thesis research topics, apply research techniques to a given research problem and fulfill the course requirements of Homework, Project, Fieldwork and Presentation.
Related Sustainable Development Goals

Course Category	Core Courses
	Major Area Courses	X
	Supportive Courses
	Media and Management Skills Courses
	Transferable Skill Courses

Week	Subjects	Related Preparation
1	Introduction to the course.
2	Research; design research/science; emergence of design research; its difference among other research traditions; relations between theory and practice of design; design research timeline (Archer, 1999; Bayazıt, 2004; Langrish (notes); Wolfgang Jonas’ article from Ralf Michel 2007).	Reading: Gui Bonsiepe’s article from Ralf Michel (2007).
3	Research; design research/science; emergence of design research; its difference among other research traditions; relations between theory and practice of design; design research timeline (Archer, 1999; Bayazıt, 2004; Langrish (notes); Wolfgang Jonas’ article from Ralf Michel 2007).	Reading: Nigel Cross’ article from Ralf Michel (2007).
4	Identifying the research problem (Booth, Colomb & Williams, 2008). Referencing styles.	Project: Research topic, problem statement, design research problem, keywords, bibliography.
5	Identifying the research problem (Booth, Colomb & Williams, 2008). Referencing styles.	Project: Research topic, problem statement, design research problem, keywords, bibliography.
6	National Holiday.	Reading: Chapter-2 “What do designers and researchers do? Thinking, doing and researching” (Crouch & Pearce, 2012). Project: Research topic, problem statement, design research problem, keywords, bibliography.
7	Research considerations in social research: Theory & research, epistemology, ontology, research strategy/family, values & practical considerations (Bryman, 2001). Epistemology, Ontology, Design.	Reading: Chapter-2 “What do designers and researchers do? Thinking, doing and researching” (Crouch & Pearce, 2012). Project: Research topic, problem statement, design research problem, keywords, bibliography.
8	‘Research vs. practice’ relations, research position, theoretical lenses, methodology, researching skills, design research methods (research families, approaches, techniques) (Archer, 1999; Blaxter et al, 2010; Bryman, 2001, Crouch & Pearce, 2012; Muratovski, 2016; Visocky O’Grady, 2006).	Reading: Chapter-4 “Thinking about Research: Methodology” (Crouch & Pearce, 2012). Project: Research position, theoretical lenses.
9	Overview of research methods used in design. Discussion on human-centred design approach and participatory design (Hanington, 2003; Martin & Hanington 2012; Sanders 2008; Visocky O’Grady, 2006).	Reading: Hanington (2003), Sanders (2007, 2008).
10	Group homework/reading presentation. Working on the Project. Fieldwork.	Group reading and making a PowerPoint presentation: Chapters-6, 7, 8, 9 (Crouch & Pearce, 2012). Project: Research position, theoretical lenses, Design-Research-Expert-Participatory position, design research methods (research families, approaches, techniques).
11	Working on the Project. Fieldwork.	Reading: IDEO The Little Book of Design Research Ethics (2024). Project: Design research ethics. Fieldwork.
12	Fieldwork.	Fieldwork.
13	Fieldwork group poster presentation.	Fieldwork: Making a group poster presentation.
14	Project presentation.	Project: Making a PowerPoint presentation.
15	Review of the semester.
16	Review of the semester.

Course Notes/Textbooks

Alan Bryman (2001) Social Research Methods, New York: Oxford University Press. Bella Martin & Bruce Hanington (2012) Universal Methods of Design, Massachusetts: Rockport. Brenda Laurel (eds.) (2003) Design Research: Methods and Perspectives, Cambridge: MIT Press. Bruce Archer (1999) On the Methods of Research, Ankara: METU Faculty of Architecture Press. Bruce Hanington (2003) Methods in the Making: A Perspective on the State of Human Research in Design, Design Issues, Vol.19, no.4, pp.9-18. Christopher Crouch & Jane Pearce (2012) Doing Research in Design, London: Bloomsbury. Gjoko Muratovski (2016) Research for Designers: A Guide to Methods and Practice, Los Angeles: SAGE. Hazel Clark & David Brody (2009) (eds.) Design Studies: A Reader, Oxford, New York: Berg. IDEO-The Little Book of Design Research Ethics (2024) (https://lbodre.ideo.com/). Jenn + Ken Visocky O’Grady (2006) A Designer’s Research Manual: Succeed in Design by Knowing your Clients and What They Really Need, Massachusetts: Rockport. John Z. Langrish, Notes on Writing a Thesis, Lecture Notes. Liz Sanders (2008) An Evolving Map of Design Practice and Design Research, ACM Interactions, Vol.XV.6, On Modeling Forum. Loraine Blaxter, Christina Hughes, and Malcolm Tight (2010) How to Research (4^th edition), Berkshire: Open University Press. Nigan Bayazıt (2004) “Investigating Design: A Review of Forty Years of Design Research”, Design Issues, Vol.20, no.1, pp.16-29. Nigel Cross (2001) “Designerly Ways of Knowing: Design Discipline versus Design Science”, Design Issues, Vol.17, no.3, pp.49-55. Ralf Michel (2007) Design Research Now: Essays and Selected Projects, BIRD, Basel, Boston, Berlin: Birkhauser. Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams (2008) The Craft of Research (3^rd edition), Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Suggested Readings/Materials

Anne-Marie Willis (2018) (eds.) The Design Philosophy Reader, London: Bloomsbury Visual Arts. Gillian Rose (2001) Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to the Interpretation of Visual Materials, London: SAGE Publications. IDEO Toolkits (http://www.designkit.org/mindsets). John W. Creswell (2009). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (2^nd edition), Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Loraine Blaxter, Christina Hughes, and Malcolm Tight (2010) How to Research (4^th edition), Berkshire: Open University Press. Marc Stickdorn & Jakob Schneider (2011) This is Service Design Thinking, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Peter Barry (2009) Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory, Manchester, New York: Manchester University Press.

Semester Activities	Number	Weigthing
Participation
Laboratory / Application
Field Work	1	20
Quizzes / Studio Critiques
Portfolio
Homework / Assignments	1	25
Presentation / Jury	3	30
Project	1	25
Seminar / Workshop
Oral Exams
Midterm
Final Exam
Total

Weighting of Semester Activities on the Final Grade	6	100
Weighting of End-of-Semester Activities on the Final Grade
Total

Semester Activities	Number	Duration (Hours)	Workload
Theoretical Course Hours (Including exam week: 16 x total hours)	16	3	48
Laboratory / Application Hours (Including exam week: '.16.' x total hours)	16		0
Study Hours Out of Class	14	1	14
Field Work	1	38	38
Quizzes / Studio Critiques			0
Portfolio			0
Homework / Assignments	1	40	40
Presentation / Jury	3	15	45
Project	1	40	40
Seminar / Workshop			0
Oral Exam			0
Midterms			0
Final Exam			0
		Total	225

#	Program Competencies/Outcomes	* Contribution Level
#	Program Competencies/Outcomes	1	2	3	4	5
1	to be able to expand the practical knowledge gained in undergraduate programs with theoretical field of design research,	-	-	-	-	X
2	to be able to examine, interpret data and assess concepts and ideas with research methods of design theory and social sciences,	-	-	-	-	X
3	to be able to identify problems of design disciplines in times of global / environmental crisis and to be able to develop possible solutions for design practitioners,	X	-	-	-	-
4	to be able to expand knowledge on the history of material culture as it relates to design practices of the past,	-	-	X	-	-
5	to be able to promote research on local practices of everyday life and assess the outcome to implement design solutions,	-	X	-	-	-
6	to be able to facilitate interactions in between varied design disciplines and to promote collaborative work to solve complex problems,	-	-	-	-	X
7	to be able to process outcome of design research to be applied in design education,	-	-	-	X	-
8	to be able to instigate research on the new tools, technologies and materials of production in order to accelerate changes in design practices,	X	-	-	-	-
9	to be able to develop an ethical approach towards design professions in order to install social and environmental responsibilities,	-	-	X	-	-
10	to be able to use a foreign language for both chasing the scientific publication and developing proper communication with colleagues from other countries, in written and verbal ways.	-	-	X	-	-
11	to be able to use computer programs needed in the field design as well as information and communication technologies in advanced levels (“European Computer Driving Licence”, Advanced Level”).	X	-	-	-	-