INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
Bachelor	TR-NQF-HE: Level 6	QF-EHEA: First Cycle	EQF-LLL: Level 6

Course Introduction and Application Information

Course Code	Course Name	Semester	Theoretical	Practical	Credit	ECTS
DES3041	Design Research	Fall	2	0	2	4

Basic information

Language of instruction:	English
Type of course:	Must Course
Course Level:	Bachelor’s Degree (First Cycle)
Mode of Delivery:	Face to face
Course Coordinator :	Instructor INGI FERNANDEZ
Recommended Optional Program Components:	.
Course Objectives:	This course aim developing students' practice-based research abilities. The main focus is at the front-end of design where designers investigate and define problem areas and/or opportunity spaces. Students apply their knowledge on design research methods in the process of defining their graduation project topics, finding a partner to provide support for the project, creating their design briefs, and developing their research reports.

Learning Outcomes

The students who have succeeded in this course;
- Describe and practice secondary and primary research methods that are common to design disciplines; define the topics of their graduation projects;
- Develop detailed and high quality design briefs and research reports;
- Identify their partners who will give technical support in the process of designing and developing their graduation projects and who will guide students while building their prototypes;
- Analyze their research findings that lead them to an in-depth understanding of their design problem
-Use primary and secondary research methods to investigate an area of practice, with consideration of research ethics
- Present research findings, through written work, visually and orally.

Course Content

The lectures in this course focus on defining design problems, producing design briefs, writing research reports, planning research activities, the design research landscape, collecting and analyzing research data. Some research methods (eg. interview, design ethnography) are explored more in-depth than others.

Weekly Detailed Course Contents

Week	Subject	Related Preparation
1)	Introduction to design research and defining possible areas of study	.
2)	Defining a design problem	Research on area of study
3)	Creating a design brief and developing a research report	Research on area of study
4)	Secondary research and benchmarking	Area of study submission
5)	Design problem review	Research on area of study
6)	Planning the primary research process and the design research landscape	Design brief first draft submission
7)	Interview and focus group	Revising design brief
8)	Design ethnography and AEIOU	Design brief second draft submission
9)	Questionnaire	Conducting secondary research
10)	Student presentations	Research report draft 1
11)	User profile and user scenario	Conducting design research
12)	Analyzing research findings	Conducting design research
13)	Methods of testing and evaluating	Research report draft 2
14)	Communicating research results	Conducting design research

Sources

Course Notes / Textbooks:	Milton, A. & Rodgers, P. (2013). Research Methods for Product Design. London: Laurence King.
References:	Laurel, B. (2003). Design research: Methods and perspectives. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press. Sanders, E. B. N., & Stappers, P. J. (2012). Convivial Toolbox: Generative Research for the Front End of Design. Amsterdam: Bis Publishers.

Evaluation System

Semester Requirements	Number of Activities	Level of Contribution
Attendance	10	% 5
Homework Assignments	5	% 35
Presentation	1	% 15
Paper Submission	1	% 45
Total		% 100
PERCENTAGE OF SEMESTER WORK		% 100
PERCENTAGE OF FINAL WORK		%
Total		% 100

ECTS / Workload Table

Activities	Number of Activities	Duration (Hours)	Workload
Course Hours	13	2	26
Study Hours Out of Class	13	2	26
Presentations / Seminar	1	2	2
Homework Assignments	5	3	15
Paper Submission	1	30	30
Total Workload			99

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

No Effect	1 Lowest	2 Low	3 Average	4 High	5 Highest

Program Outcomes

Level of Contribution