Diagramming Design Research

Although design practitioners have a myriad of information sources available, they often have little time to evaluate the information. The need to study visual persuasive tactics is highlighted by (1) the propensity of designers to use visual communications, (2) the availability of sources that range in validity, (3) work stressors encountered by designers, and (4) the benefits of using peer‐reviewed sources. Given these contexts, it may behoove design scholars to acknowledge the constraints and desires of their intended audience, which may include practicing interior designers. Framed by Petty and Cacioppo's Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) of persuasion, this study's goal was to compare design practitioners' hedonic perceptions of empirical research documents. Thirty‐four participants completed a mixed‐method survey soliciting perceptions relative to the organizational strategies and word‐to‐image ratios of two document iterations. Responses ascertained from Likert‐type scales, heat maps, and open‐ended questions suggest that designers, at times, evaluate an information source based on the graphic quality in which it is presented. Taken together, findings from this study might provide some useful guidance for those conveying information to practitioners who are less familiar with academic literature but could benefit from the knowledge provided, thus increasing the likelihood of informed design decision‐making practices. Furthermore, the methods utilized during this inquiry might serve as a pilot for future studies in this area.

Section: Benefits Of Using Scholarly Sourcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Seeing Intriguing? Practitioner Perceptions of Research Documents

Huber

2016

“…Most scholars have defined research as the discovery of new information that expands the knowledgebase of the profession (Groat & Wang, 2002; Guerin & Dohr, 2007; Sommer & Sommer, 2002; Wang, 2007). In examining definitions of research that range from 1964 to 2007 from a variety of fields of study, including architecture, education, home economics, interior design, and psychology, terms such as “systematic,”“patient study,” and “discovery” are repeated throughout (Dickinson & Marsden, 2009).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Survey on Practitioner Attitudes toward Research in Interior Design Education

Dickinson

Anthony

Marsden

2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate interior design practitioners' perceived attitudes toward the inclusion of research at the undergraduate and graduate levels, minimum degree requirements for practice and teaching, and the value of the graduate degree in the field of interior design. Interior design practitioners who are members of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) were surveyed (n = 250) using an online questionnaire based on several existing scales. The questionnaire was distributed through a primary contact with ASID as an e‐mail blast to all members within the organization. As a whole, the participants in this investigation believed that undergraduate and graduate students should have an understanding of research and be able to apply findings to design projects. However, practitioners did not respond positively to positioning the Master of Interior Design (MID) as the first professional degree or to a graduate degree in general as a minimum credential to practice. Some practitioners valued the graduate degree to increase marketability, enhance the prestige of the profession, and provide specialization. Others placed more emphasis on practical experience, continuing education, and innate talent rather than a graduate degree. More educated individuals with advanced degrees who were younger than 40 and were practicing commercial design were significantly more likely to value research. The fact that some educators have been advocating for the MID as the first professional degree for the discipline shows a disconnect between practice and academia.

“…9. “Research … can be described as the generation of new knowledge which has application for a wide general domain…” ( Wang, 2007, p. 34 ). (Definitions cited from Informing Design, Dickinson & Marsden, 2009 ).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Faculty Perceptions regarding Research: Are We on the Right Track?

Dickinson

Anthony

Marsden

2009

Although research has been a topic of discussion for the past few decades within the academy, how interior design educators view research has not been examined. The purpose of this investigation was to survey interior design faculty who are members of the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) to determine (1) their definitions of research and programming, (2) their perceived value of research in interior design practice and education, (3) their perceptions of who should conduct research, (4) the degree to which they are engaging in research, and (5) how they are incorporating research into the classroom. Sixty-five faculty members responded to the online survey that consisted of three open-ended questions, 20 questions using a Likert Scale, and questions documenting demographic information. The results indicated that the faculty who responded did not have a working definition of research or programming, and a number of faculty members did not clearly understand the difference between the two. Although 27% of the sample responded that research involved discovery or moved the field forward, another 20% defined research solely as information gathering. The educators in this study valued research, and 80% believed that research findings provide useful information to the profession. Yet, many of the subjects in this study were unclear on whether interior design educators, practitioners, or specialists in other fields should be conducting interior design research. The majority of subjects valued what research could bring to the student during the design process, yet there was hesitation on whether undergraduate students should be taking research-related coursework.