Design research has borrowed from a variety of disciplines for its methodology. and, morecerntly, has developed its own methods for research within the creative process. This course presents an opportunity to examine and discover several of the methods currently emplyed by the design professions, and to understand the conceptual basis of these methods. Rather than artificially constraining methods by catergorization, the onstructor proposes that this course will provide a context of themes by which research may be understood, including qualitative and quantitative, objective and subjective, structured and unstructured, truth and uncertainty. This course should equip students with the necessary tools to determine appropriate methods for specific design research needs, how to find supporting resources, and when to seek help. In addition, an understanding of design research methods will be an invaluable tools in the ability to critically evaluate existing research.
