Designer's Guide to Doing Research

SALLY AUGUSTIN, PhD, is a practicing environmental psychologist, a principal at Design with Science, and the editor of Research Design Connections. She is regularly invited to speak at schools, research institutions, conferences, and on National Public Radio. Sally is the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley). Learn more about using environmental psychology at Sally’s websites, www.placecoach.com (for residential applications), www.designwithscience.com (for commercial applications), and www.researchdesignconnections.com.CINDY COLEMAN is a design strategist with Gensler and the editor of the Interior Design Handbook of Professional Practice (published by Interior Design magazine and McGraw-Hill). She is an assistant professor in the Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects Department at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a contributing editor to both Interior Design magazine and the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Chicago) journal, Chicago Architect.

"The author advises is on the best research techniques to use at each stage of the design process, with helpful chapters on research instruments, data collection techniques, and rules of thumb. With contributions from prominent design researchers, The Designer's Guide to Doing Research is an indispensable read for any student of design research who wants to spring into action." (Contract Magazine, June 2012) "The book offers a tremendous assortment of research tools, ranging from finely-tuned versions of familiar client survey preference forms to plans for innovative on–site charrettes and keenly focused post–occupancy evaluations." (ArchNewsNow.com, February 2012)

• Foreword: The Necessity for Research viiAcknowledgments ixIntroduction: Before You Do Design Research xiResearch versus Insight xiiiThe Research/Design Relationship xivWhy This Book? xvWhy Research? xviiDesign as Research xviiiKnowing xxiiThinking and Knowing xxviA Scientific Method xxixAsking the Right Questions xxxChapter 1 Design Research and Its Influence on the Practice of Design 1Generalizing Design Thinking 1Design Research as a Means for Attraction and Retention 3Design Research as a Means for Social Reform 3Design Research as a Response to the Need for Design Speed 3Design Research to Build a Sustainable Knowledge Base 4Design Research to Gain Understanding of Cultural Distinctions 5Design Research as a Source of Value 6Core Concepts 6Endnotes 7A Story of Practice: Making the Implicit Explicit 8Chapter 2 Researching: Context, Process, General Concepts 19Economic Context of Design and Research 19Design Process 22Research Process 23“Good” Research 25Owning the Information 29Planning and Organizing a Project-Specific Comprehensive Research Plan 30Overview of Types of Research 32Differences in Types of Research: Applied or Theoretical 33Comparing Research Tools 34Merits of Using Several Different Research Tools to Answer Any Research Question 40Core Concepts 40Endnotes 42Chapter 3 What to Learn 43Informing Design-Related Change 43Design-Project-Based Information Gathering 46Social-Science-Based Information Needs 51Core Concepts 77Endnotes 78Chapter 4 The Goals of Project Initiation 81Research for Competitive Advantage 81Secondary Information 84Peer-Reviewed Studies 87Literature Reviews 88Within-Firm Archival Research 100Experience Sampling Method 100Design Charettes 109Endnotes 113A Story of Practice: A Research-Based Marketing Strategy 114Chapter 5 The Goals of Investigation 125Research as a Process of Discovering a Client’s Needs 125Interviews 127Cognitive Mapping 142Repertory Grid 144Annotated Plans 147Content Analysis—Verbal Material 148Content Analysis—Visual 152Surveys 156Public Parks Survey 173Endnotes 176A Story of Practice: It Starts with Programming 177Chapter 6 The Goals of Integration in Schematic Design 189How Research Informs the Schematic Design Process 189Research Shapes Refining the Design Strategy 191Geographic Information Systems (GIS) 193Behavior Mapping 196Observation 199Space Syntax 217Social Network Analysis 218Discussion Groups 218Space Simulation 228Experiments 232A Story of Practice: Schematic Design 236A Story of Practice: Design Development 244Endnotes 266Chapter 7 The Goals of Implementation 255How Research Informs the Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) 255Post-Occupancy Evaluations 257Case Studies 262A Story of Practice: Post-Occupancy Evaluation 267Endnotes 290Chapter 8 How to Maintain and Access Research Findings 283Raw Resources 285Organizational System 287Additional Considerations 288Core Concepts 289Endnote 292Conclusion: Doing Design Research291Additional Sources of Information for Design Researchers293Index 295