Research for Designers: A Guide to Methods and Practice - Tapa blanda

Today, designers design services, processes and organizations; craft skills no longer suffice. We need to discover, define and solve problems based upon evidence. We need to demonstrate the validity of our claims. We need Design Research, but as special kind of research, with methods appropriate to the applied, constructive nature of design. We need a book on research for designers that can educate students and be a reference for professionals. And here it is: Gjoko Muratovski's masterful book for 21st century designers. (Don Norman)

The nature of my work, as a practising Industrial Designer for many years has made it unavoidable for me to consider large questions—design is no longer a thought system for creating a product but has become a method of contemplating existence. Today, as designers, we are exploring a new vision; a vision that seeks to apply creativity to challenges of our age, namely digital technology and information. The designer of today is involved with designing experiences, not just looks and appearances. New ideas will be meaningful only if we can coordinate physical, sensual and cultural forces. Gjoko Muratovski offers a structure to free the spirit of designers’ way of experimentation. Research for Designers gives the reader a pair of wings to transcend limitation and do original work. (Suresh Sethi)

‘Doing by design' will be advanced significantly by Gjoko Muratovski’s book Research for Designers. The book clearly explains how effective cross-disciplinary discovery and delivery of strategic solutions to complex problems needs to begin with targeted and credible research of the problem area, the ecosystem, the context, and the stakeholders involved. While the book provides a great overview for designers that are interested in learning about research methods and how to use them, the application of this book goes further. Research for Designers is also useful to strategists and decision-makers as it can expand their problem-solving toolkit to incorporate design research and practice in the pursuit of new, original and better outcomes. This is an excellent resource for both students and developing design practitioners. (Jane Treadwell)

Inspiring and engaging. Muratovski gives us a visionary preview on the future of design. He argues that design is transforming from ‘problem-solving’ to ‘problem-finding’—something every company, from startups to multinationals, needs in today’s hyper-connected and fast-changing world. Muratovski provides the context and, more importantly, the implications of the rise of design as a powerful competitive advantage. If you want to know more about the role of design in the past, present and where design is headed, start here

(David R. Butler)

Enlightened decisions. Breakthrough innovation. Insightful insights. Great outcomes begin with in-depth design research. Thankfully, Gjoko Muratovski has written the definitive compendium that not only covers ‘how’ to best conduct design research but ‘why’ it is such a vital ingredient to success. Although intended for design students, I believe Muratovski’s manual offers a far broader appeal. Strategists, business leaders, policy makers, anyone who wants to enhance and advance their research proficiency to achieve a better outcome should read this book. I know I’ll be sharing copies with my colleagues. (Maureen Thurston)

Design is a field with a relatively a short history. Design Research has even a shorter one. Regardless of that, since John Chris Jones’s Design Methods there have been quite a few books on design methods that follow changes in the fundamental nature, scale and complexity of design problems. However, the existing books in the field mainly deal with design methods and tools for different stages of the design process. It is hard to find a serious method book for design research, despite the rapid emergence of doctoral programs in design, design research journals and design research conferences. In this regard, Research for Designers is a welcome contribution to the world of design academia as it discusses methods for carrying out systematic design research. Furthermore, this book allows the reader to choose methods for design research according to different types of design problems and not only for the different stages of the design process. In this respect, Research for Designers will be useful not only to postgraduate students and academics engaged in serious design research, but also to practicing designers dealing with large-scale, complex and cross-disciplinary design problems.  (Kun-Pyo Lee)

Design’s importance in social, cultural and economic terms has never been greater. So it’s a surprise that the design research community has waited so long for an authoritative and comprehensive handbook on research methods which further our understanding and knowledge of the process of designing. Research for Designers fills this gap in the literature. There’s no doubt it will become a seminal reference for those seeking to undertake research in the field. (Seymour Roworth-Stokes)

Research for Designers explores design research based on a panorama of the evolution of design. It is a useful book for designers, educators and researchers. It is also a meaningful book, as it opens the window for enriching and improving the rationalities between design and a possible better world. While facing a new era of design activism, a new culture of knowledge creation should be involved as part of the agenda. Gjoko Muratovski’s work makes a concrete step forward. (Yongqi Lou)

Flexible production technology and new business models enable companies to make almost anything. The unintended consequences include consumers confused by too many choices and managers not knowing what to make. Design offers new ways for executives to understand and fulfil people’s needs and aspirations; however, the informality of design knowledge prevents design operating at the speed and scale that is needed. Research for Designers is a major contribution to giving structure to design knowledge. This book will help companies succeed by helping people have better lives. (Patrick Whitney)

Gjoko Muratovski’s Research for Designers provides a structured approach to introducing design students and new researchers to design research. Designers embarking on research have often found it to be challenging to find books that are able to provide them with the necessary advice and guidance for success. This book helps to overcome this challenge by taking the reader through the research process from defining the research problem through to the literature review on to data collection and analysis. With such practical and useful chapters this book should prove to be essential reading in design schools across the world. (Tracy Bhamra)

Gjoko Muratovski is the Director of The Myron E. Ullman, Jr. School of Design at DAAP, University of Cincinnati―a top-ranked design school in the USA as recognized by Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Business Insider and Design Intelligence. He is also the Chair of the US$10,000,000 Endowment Fund established by Myron Ullman, the Chairman of the Starbucks Corporation. In these roles, he regularly engages with Fortune 500 companies like General Motors, General Electric, Nike, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Macy's, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Amazon, Starbucks, and Facebook on developing new partnerships and research initiatives.

 

Muratovski has over 20 years of global design and innovation experience. He also holds a PhD in Design Research and Corporate Communication Strategies. In addition to this, he is trained in a range of design fields such as Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Industrial Design, Architectural Design, Interior Design and Furniture Design & Manufacturing. Over the years, Muratovski has been working with a wide range of governmental, not-for-profit and corporate organizations across highly diverse sectors. This also includes organizations such as the White House and the US Federal Government, NASA Johnson Space Center, UNESCO, UN Association of Australia, World Health Organization, European Commission, Greenpeace, and many others. He is also regularly retained as an advisor by various design firms and consultancies on issues ranging from strategic design and branding, to disruptive innovation and trend forecasting.

 

In line with having broad industry experience, Muratovski also has a significant academic experience that ranges from teaching and curriculum development, to research, edu­cation management, and academic leadership. He holds additional appointments as Guest Professor at the College of Design & Innovation, Tongji University (China), Visiting Professor at the Department of Marketing, Copenhagen Business School (Denmark), Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Graphic Arts, University of Zagreb (Croatia), Scholar-in-Residence at the Fallingwater Institute (USA), and Seed Consultant at the Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies, Stanford University (USA). He is also invited by the Chief Executive Leadership Institute at Yale University (USA) to participate as a delegate at the annual Yale Higher Education Leadership Summit.