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Information on individual educational components (ECTS-Course descriptions) per semester

Research Lab 1 Design Perspectives, Methods and Frameworks

Degree programme Design and Creative Leadership
Subject area Design
Type of degree Master
Part-time
Winter Semester 2024
Course unit title Research Lab 1 Design Perspectives, Methods and Frameworks
Course unit code 090821013301
Language of instruction German, English
Type of course unit (compulsory, optional) Compulsory
Teaching hours per week 4
Year of study 2024
Level of the course / module according to the curriculum
Number of ECTS credits allocated 10
Name of lecturer(s) Verena FÄßLER, Margarita KÖHL, Sarah SCHLATTER, Martin SCHWEIGHOFER, Darko TODOROVIC, Marilena TUMLER
Requirements and Prerequisites

None

Course content

The aim of the Research Laboratory seminar is to familiarize students with creative activity as a practice of research and to teach them the necessary scientific skills for this. Research Laboratory 1 is dedicated to the exploration of research fields and topics through exploration and experimentation. The laboratory character of the course results from the approach that observations and experiments are carried out in certain fields, but also in the design laboratories, developing and evaluating models for solutions, making comparisons with social and cultural science, but also natural science methods and - depending on suitability - integrating them into design research practice. The recorded, collected, sorted and organized materials are evaluated in order to specify research questions. Students question, observe, visualize, experiment, produce and reflect in order to experience for themselves how design processes take place as research. 

In doing so, students expand their ability to work in a self-organized scientific manner based on subject-specific methodological knowledge. They cultivate a transdisciplinary research practice that transfers methods from various (social, cultural and natural science) fields and disciplines into the design context. 

 

Contents: 

  • Design analysis 
  • Design understandings, approaches (human-centred design, society-centred design and planet-centric design) and intentions 
  • Exploration methods as well as methods of research and source analysis 
  • Theoretical approaches, methods and procedures (qualitative and quantitative procedures, media and design ethnography, mapping, walking) 
  • Potentials and limitations of the "design thinking" approach as well as design-relevant theories (praxeology, media archaeology, new materialism, artistic research) and methods 
Learning outcomes

The students are able to 

  • identify gaps in research and formulate a design research question that can be addressed through design. 
  • explain, analyze, compare and evaluate current questions in design research 
  • differentiate between different design understandings, approaches (human-centred design, society-centred design and planet-centric design) and intentions.
  • critically reflect on approaches such as design thinking against the background of the current state of cultural and social science research and apply them in the design research process.
  • apply methods of research and source analysis.
  • apply different theoretical approaches, methods and procedures (qualitative and quantitative methods, media and design ethnography, mapping, walking) according to the respective research context.
  • assess the potentials and limitations of the "design thinking" approach as well as design-relevant theories (praxeology, media archaeology, new materialism, artistic research) and methods.
  • derive appropriate consequences for their own research question based on current technological, social and political developments.
  • explain a range of current research and thematic areas in the context of which new design tasks are emerging, such as: information science, educational and research technology, digital humanities, computer-aided and imaging processes, knowledge management, communication of complex knowledge, sensor technology, big data visualization, machine learning/AI, language-based interfaces, robotics; media realities: extended reality. 

 

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Lectures with discussions, teamwork, laboratory exercises, coaching, reflection

Assessment methods and criteria

Immanent examination character: research diary, seminar paper and presentation

Comment

None

Recommended or required reading
  • Strubing, Jörg (2008): Grounded Theory: Zur Sozialtheoretischen und Epistemologischen Fundierung des Verfahrens der Empirisch Begründeten Theoriebildung (Qualitative Sozialforschung) (German Edition). Wiesbaden: VS Springer. 
  • Bortz, Jürgen u. Nicola Döring: Forschungsmethoden und Evaluation für Human- und Sozialwissenschaftler, 5. Aufl., Berlin: Springer 
  • Hugentobler, Hans Kaspar u.a.: Designwissenschaft und Designforschung. Ein einführender Überblick, [Luzern 2008], Kap. "Einführung in die Designforschung", "Methoden in Design und Designresearch", "Kriterien für Designresearch" (S. 19–22, 93–108, 123–133). 
  • Rheinberger, Hans-Jörg (2021): Spalt und Fuge. Eine Phänomenologie des Experiments. Suhrkamp. 
  • Tomitsch, Martin u.a. (2018): Design. think. make. break. repeat. A handbook of methods. Amsterdam: BIS publishers. 
  • Irlwek, Manuel; Menges Achim (2014): Vergleich und Erweiterung von Horst Rittels Design Methodologie in parametrischen Entwurfsprozessen. In: Leopold C. (eds) Über Form und Struktur – Geometrie in Gestaltungsprozessen. Wiesbaden: Springer. 
  • Hewitt, Mark Alan (2020): Draw in Order to See. A Cognitive History of Architectural Design. Novato: ORO Editions. 
  • Wetterich, Cita; Plänitz, Erik (2021): Systematische Literaturanalysen in den Sozialwissenschaften. Eine praxisorientierte Einführung. Opladen: Barbara Budrich.  
  • Müller, Francis: Design Ethnography. Epistemology and Methodology, Cham: Springer 2021, Kap. "Methods and Aspects of Field Research" (S. 31–76). 
  • Haarmann, Anke (2019): Artistic Research: eine epistemologische Ästhetik. Bielefeld: Transcript.  
  • Bogost, Ian: Alien Phenomenology, or What It's Like to Be a Thing, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press 2012, Kap. "Alien Phenomenology" (S. 1–34). 
  • Zima, Peter V. (2004): Was ist Theorie? Theoriebegriff und dialogische Theorie in den Kultur- und Sozialwissenschaften. UTB. 
  • Haraway, Donna: "Situated Knowledges. The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective", in: Feminist Studies, 14/3 (1988), S. 575–599. 
  • Waldenfels, Bernhard: Sozialität und Alterität. Modi sozialer Erfahrung, Berlin: Suhrkamp 2015, Kap. "Mitwirkung der Dinge" (S. 230–261). 
  • Jens, Badura; u.A. (Hg.) (2015): Künstlerische Forschung, Ein Handbuch, Zürich: Diaphanes. 
  • Kalkhoff, Herbert; Hischauer, Stefan; Lindemann, Gesa (Hg.) (2008): Theoretische Empirie, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp. 
  • Diekmann, Andreas (2007): Empirische Designforschung: Grundlagen, Methoden, Anwendungen. Rheinbeck bei Hamburg: Rowohlt Enzyklopädie. 
  • Joerges, Bernward (1988): Technik im Alltag. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp. 
  • Stiegler, Christian; Breitenbach, Patrick; Zorbach, Thomas (2015): New Media Culture: Mediale Phänomene der Netzkultur. Bielefeld: Transcript. 
  • Yee, Joyce; Jefferies, Emma; Tan, Lauren; Brown, Tim (2013): Design Transitions: Inspiring Stories. Global Viewpoints. How Design is Changing. Amsterdam: BIS Publishers. 
  • Brown, Tim (2009): Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation. New York: HarperCollins Books. 
  • Flusser, Vilém (1993): Vom Stand der Dinge. Eine kleine Philosophie des Design. Göttingen: Steidl. 
  • Milev, Yana (2011): Emergency Design. Berlin: Merve. 
  • Milev, Yana (Hg.) (2013): Designkulturen. München: Wilhelm Fink. 
  • Blahudka, Daniel (2015): Querdenken - Die Logik des Designs. Heidelberg: Carl-Auer-Verlag. 
  • Bauer, Birgit S. (2012): Design theoretisch - entwerfen planen forschen: Reader zu Wissen und Arbeit im Design. Norderstedt: Books on demand. 
  • Burckhardt, Lucius (2012): Design ist unsichtbar: Entwurf, Gesellschaft und Pädagogik. Berlin: Martin Schmitz. 
  • Burckhardt, Lucius (2004): Wer plant die Planung?: Architektur, Politik und Mensch. Berlin: Martin Schmitz. 
  • Dunne, Anthony; Raby,  Fiona (2014): Speculative Everything: Design, Fiction, and Social Dreaming. Cambridge: MIT Press. 
  • Shove, Elisabeth (2007): The Design of Everyday Life. Oxford New York: Berg. 
  • Kim, Annette Miae: Sidewalk City. Remapping Public Space in Ho Chi Minh City, Chicago: University of Chicago Press 2015, Kap. "Critical Cartography Primer" (S. 112–145).
Mode of delivery (face-to-face, distance learning)

Face-to-face event with compulsory attendance