Lecture 10 What is research?

What Is Research

(Research) is the process of finding facts. These facts will lead to knowledge. Research is done by using what is already known.

This was quite a different lecture all together, as we all thought we knew what research was and how to do it, because we are second years and research is a big part of our modules, but this lecture gave a good angle on research and went into detail about different academic processes of research.

‘Process is more important than outcome. When the outcome drives the process we will only ever go to where we've already been. If process drives outcome we may not know where we’re going, but we will know we want to be there.'  Incomplete Manifesto for Growth – Bruce Mau Design 1998

“Everyone is a genius at least once a year. 

Success comes from having brighter ideas 

closer together.”

FAIL!

FAIL AGAIN!

FAIL BETTER!

FAIL QUICKER!

It gives you more time to

‘get it right next time’.

Here are some of the academic methodologies in which the lecture suggested

Stimulated approach

This is a conscious or subconscious search for inspiration from an external repertoire: in the surroundings, media, in discussion, libraries, etc. The main concern here is the development of analogies and associative approaches, which are then further developed into individual solutions.

Systematic approach

        This is based on the systematic collection and modification of components, characteristics and means of expression: such as by structuring and restructuring, enlarging and reducing, combining and extracting, replacing, adding, mirroring or reproducing.

Intuitive approach

This is the development of thought process, which is primarily based on internalised perceptions and knowledge, that is to say an internal repertoire. This type of thought process may occur spontaneously, without being evoked specially. This is actually a systematic process that takes place subconsciously.

And here are the examples of research that I never really got my head round until now:

PRIMARY RESEARCH

• Research that is developed and collected for  

   a specific end use, usually generated to 

  help solve a specific problem

• Research that involves the collection of data 

   that does not yet exist 

SECONDARY RESEARCH

•Published or recorded data that have already been collected for some purpose other than  the current study.

•The analysis of research that has been collected at an earlier time (for reasons unrelated to the current project) that can be applied to a study in progress

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Deals with facts, figures, and measurements, and produces data which can be readily analyzed. Measurable data is gathered from a wide range of sources, and it is the analysis and interpretation of the relationships across this data that gives the information researchers are looking for.

Here is a strategy in which we learnt to complete a task:

Phase 1  Assimilation.

• The accumulation and ordering of general 

information and information specifically related to 

the problem in hand.

Phase 2  General study.

• The investigation of the nature of the problem.

• The investigation of possible solutions or means 

of solution.

Phase 3  Development.

•The development and refinement of one or more of the tentative solutions isolated during phase 2.

Phase 4  Communication.

•The communication of one or more solutions to people either inside or outside the design team.

Analysis

• What is the problem / brief/ question about?

• What do I need to know more about?

• What already exists?

• What are the specifications, materials, functions, 

client preferences that are a fixed part of the 

brief?

Research

• How many ideas occur in response to your analysis?

• Ask yourself “What happens if ......?”

• Use lateral thinking & word association to spur originality

• Find the extremes (simplest to over-the-top / bizarre)

• Use mechanical trial and error e.g. mock-ups to find how & where to 

join bits together.

• Try out likely materials & find their limitations

• Go for lots of fast possibilities rather than one precious solution.

Evaluation

• Which fulfils the brief?

• Which looks the best?

• Which does the client/audience/viewer prefer?

• How does it fit the current ethos/values/ trends….?

• Is it easy, cheap, expensive, impossible to make?

•    Does it excite/innovate/ intrigue…..?

• What is its function? Does it work?

Solution

• usually a compromise between what  you 

want to do, what can be afforded, and what is 

feasible.

• Be sure this is acceptable by getting feedback 

on all the possibilities before you reach this 

stage.

This lecture was very beneficial to my practice as to be quite honest I didn't understand how to formulate the right method in which to research but now I can refer to these methods and hopefully my research will be a lot more professional.