DRM, a Design Research Methodology

Preface

Contents

1 Introduction

1.1 Design

1.2 Design Research

1.3 Main Issues

1.4 Need for a Design Research Methodology

1.5 Objectives

1.6 Structure of this Book

1.7 Main Points

2 DRM: A Design Research Methodology

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Methodological Framework

2.3 Types of Research Within the DRM Framework

2.4 Representing Existing and Desired Situations

2.5 Success Criteria and Measurable Success Criteria

2.6 The Main Stages

2.7 Comparison with Other Methodologies

2.8 Main Points

3 Research Clarification

3.1 Research Clarification Process

3.2 Identifying Overall Topic of Interest

3.3 Clarifying Current Understanding and Expectations

3.4 Clarifying Criteria, Main Questions and Hypotheses

3.5 Selecting Type of Research

3.6 Determining Areas of Relevance and Contribution

3.7 Formulating Overall Research Plan

3.8 General Guidelines on Doing Research

3.9 Main Points

4 Descriptive Study I: Understanding Design

4.1 Schools of Thought

4.2 Types of DS-I

4.3 DS-I Process Steps

4.4 Reviewing Literature

4.5 Determining Research Focus

4.6 Developing Research Plan for DS-I

4.7 Undertaking an Empirical Study

4.8 Drawing Overall Conclusions

4.9 Main Points

5 Prescriptive Study: Developing Design Support

5.1 Types of Design Support

5.2 Types of PS

5.3 A Systematic PS Process

5.4 Task Clarification

5.5 Conceptualisation

5.6 Elaboration

5.7 Realisation

5.8 Support Evaluation

5.9 Main Points

6 Descriptive Study II: Evaluating Design Support

6.1 Evaluation

6.2 Types of DS-II

6.3 Systematic DS-II Process

6.4 Reviewing Existing Documentation

6.5 Determining Evaluation Focus

6.6 Developing Evaluation Plan(s)

6.7 Undertaking Evaluation

6.8 Drawing Overall Conclusions

6.9 Main Points

7 Writing Up: Publishing Results

7.1 Various Forms of Publication and Their Intent

7.2 Overall Structure of a Thesis

7.3 Approaches to Help Structure a Thesis

7.4 Tips on Writing Specific Sections

7.5 Writing Papers

7.6 General Guidelines

7.7 Main Points

8 Summary and Conclusions

8.1 Experience of Using DRM

8.2 Further Research

Appendix A Descriptive Study Methods

A.1 Paradigms and Assumptions

A.2 Reviewing Empirical Studies

A.3 Laboratory Versus Industrial Environment

A.4 Data-collection Methods

A.5 Statistical Analysis

Appendix B Prescriptive Study Methods

B.1 Product Development Methodologies

B.2 Software Development Approaches

B.3 User-interface Design

B.4 Support Outline: Summarising Scope and Assumptions

Appendix C Example Research Projects

C.1 Overview of the Examples

C.2 A Process-based Approach to Computer-supported Engineering Design

C.3 A Program for Computational Synthesis and Conceptual Design Support

C.4 Teamwork in Engineering Design

C.5 Measuring Conceptual Design Process Performance in Mechanical Engineering: A Question-based Approach

C.6 Design for Quality

C.7 Multi-disciplinary Design Problems

C.8 Design for Reliability in Mechanical Systems

References

Index