Department of Architectural and Interior

Design Engineering
Bachelor in Interior Design Engineering

INDE132
Design
Research &
Methods

Dr. Omar BLIBECH

2020-2021
www.pinterest.com
www.pinterest.com
Lecture learning outcomes/
Lesson Aims :

Demonstrate elementary knowledge of evidence-based design approach as an essential part of the

design process.

Demonstrate understanding of common types of design research and methods relevant to design
process.

Demonstrate understanding of basic tools necessary to investigate questions toward design ideas in
different contexts.

Recognize simple methods in developing documentation about common design approaches related to
several themes, including qualitative and quantitative, subjective and objective approaches.
Design Research and Methods
Principles, Types, and
Design Process.
Design Research & Methods:
The usefulness for a design process…
In the design process, the research design is the conceptual structure
within which research about the problem/project is conducted ; it
constitutes the “blueprint” for the collection , selection measurement
and analysis of data from different sources, to test its relevance to the
project and to be implemented as input for the pre-design phase.

For a project, the research design provides the backbone structure of

the study, it supports the study and hold it's together. The research
design refers to the researcher/designer overall plan for answering the
research question/problem or testing the research hypotheses.
Design Research & Methods:
Purpose and Major Principles:
For a design process, it’s important to consider design research and methods as a framework
for the research plan of action, as a master plan that specifies the methods and procedures
for collecting and analyzing the needed information, as a strategy for how the data relevant
to the problem/the project will be collected, organized, treated and analyzed.
“the plan, structure and strategy of investigation purporting to answer research questions and
control variance.” (Kerlinger, 1978).

“designed research” as “the planned sequence of the entire process involved in conducting a
research study”. (Creswell & Miller, 2000).

-provides the scheme for answering research problem/question.

-maintains control of the different flows to avoid bias that may affect the outputs/the results.
-organize the study in a certain way defending the advantages, while considering potential
disadvantages.
The three general categories are experimental research, field research, and observational
research. Each of these categories varies on two important characteristics: internal validity
and external validity.

Source: Research methods, https://www.questionpro.com/qualitative-research-methods/

The Process of designing a Design Research:
Essential questions to conduct a design research:
-What/What was studied?
-What about/What aspects of the problem/subject were studied?
-What for/What is (or) was the significance of the research/the study?
-What did prior literature/research state/say/confirm?
-What was done/How was the research/study conducted?
-What methods-tools / What was found?
-So, what/What now?

From broad topic to a specific question:

The path to a research question…

Source: www.pinterest.com

Source: Research methods, https://www.questionpro.com/qualitative-research-methods/

Design Research & Methods: Main Types:
-Descriptive Research:
As the name implies, this is an in-depth method of research design that answers what and how.

-Explanatory Research:
This method of research design explains the problem/ the subject of the research, and thereby answers
what, how, and why.

-Exploratory Research:
This sort of research explores the subject matter and answers what and how.

-Experimental/Quasi-experimental design research: This method is used to establish a “cause and

effect” relationship between two variables or among a group of variables. Or, when a typical research
design is not practicable (a quasi-experimental).

The mentioned four types of design research methods are relevant to quantitative research. For
qualitative research, specific types are used (the phenomenological model, the ethnographic model,
grounded theory, the case study, the historical model and the narrative model).

Source: https://scholarshipfellow.com/research-design-types-research-design/
Design Research & Methods,
and
Design Process:
Collect
Process Analyse (Analysis
(Research / Resources Present (Analysis
(inputs Methods&Tools/Data
/ “Quanti-Quali” approach & Cases)
/Select/Organize) Treatment)
Methods)

Use
Discuss Interpret
(Synthetize/Outputs) (Implement for
(Evaluate/Results)
Project Development)

Source: https://www.pinterest.com
 Quiz
Click the Quiz button to edit this object
Textbook / References :
-Creswell, John W. (2013). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. 4th(latest ed.). SAGE Publications.
-Denscombe, M. (2014). The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Research Projects. 5 Rev. ed. Open University Press.

-Yin, Robert K .(2013). Case Study Research: Design and Methods. 5th edit. SAGE Publications.

-Groat, Linda and Wang, David. (2013). Architectural Research Methods. 2nd Edit. Wiley.

- Nussbaumer, Linda L. (2009), Evidence-Based Design for Interior Designers, Fairchild Books, Illustrated edition, USA, ISBN-13 : 978-1563677595

-W. W. Norton. (2006). Inquiry by Design: Environment / Behavior / Neuroscience in Architecture, Interiors, Landscape, and Planning, Revised
edition, ISBN-13: 978-0393731842

-Watson-Guptill. (1990). Designing Places for People: "A Handbook on Human Behavior for Architects, Designers and Facility Managers, 2nd
Edition. ISBN-13: 978-0823013333

-Sally Augustin. (2009). Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture, 1st Edition, John Wiley & Son ISBN-13: 978-0470422120
-Bella Martin & Bruce Hannington. (2021), Universal Methods of Design: 100 Ways to Research Complex Problems, Develop Innovative Ideas, and
Design Effective Solutions, Rockport Publishers ISBN-13 : 978-1631593741-

-Anthony E. Kelly, Richard A. Lesh, John Y. Baek. (2008), Handbook of Design Research Methods in Education, 1st Edition, Routledge, ISBN-
9781315759593
-Bella Martin & Bruce Hannington. (2021), Universal Methods of Design: 100 Ways to Research Complex Problems, Develop Innovative Ideas, and
Design Effective Solutions, Rockport Publishers ISBN-13 : 978-1631593741-
-Anthony E. Kelly, Richard A. Lesh, John Y. Baek. (2008), Handbook of Design Research Methods in Education, 1st Edition, Routledge, ISBN-
9781315759593
Further References :
-Karwowski, W.(2005)'Ergonomics and human factors: the paradigms for science, engineering, design, technology and management of human
compatible systems',Ergonomics,48:5,436 — 463. Article retrieved October 14, 2009, from Ryerson University Database.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00140130400029167

-www.Pinterest.com
-NEUFERT
-https://www.academia.edu/27095297/Neufert_Architects_Data_Fourth_Edition_By_Wiley_Blackwell

Note all the education materials available on e-learning system