The focus of this course is design-based research, that is, academic knowledge construction including design activities. The course provides an introduction to the conceptual foundations for understanding design-based research, as well as the methodological tools for performing it.

Epistemological foundations for design-based research, including notions such as experiential knowledge, practical knowing, knowing-in-action and artifacts-as-knowledge.

Implications for knowledge representation and communication in design-based research.

The relations between design activity and research activity.

Methodological foundations, including practice-based research, research-oriented design, research-through-design, and interaction criticism.

In order to increase precision, the generic types of outcomes are mapped to interaction design as follows.

1. Students should through the course gain an understanding of the epistemological and conceptual foundations for design-based research.

Students should after the course be able to;

2. display ability to plan a design-based research process.

3. display ability to plan, execute, document and analyze design experiments pertinent to larger research interests.

Students should after the course be able to;

4. display ability to engage in knowledge construction within interaction design research through criticism.

The course is aligned with the Thesis project 2 course, in order to enable students to use the preparation of their thesis projects as cases for practical experimentation with the theoretical and conceptual “tools” provided. Specifically, learning activities in the course include design experimentation within the frame of the overall thesis research interests, and planning the thesis project as a research process.

The course is structured as a series of seminars.

Learning activities are further specified in a detailed Course Guide

The learning outcomes are assessed through individual and small-group assignments that are discussed in plenary seminars.

Learning goals 1 and 4 are assesed through writing an individual essay on the topic ”What is design knowledge?” (7,5 credits)

Learning goals 2 and 3 are assesed through planning the research process of the thesis project in the format of a Research plan (7,5 credits)

Extracts from:

Krippendorff, K. (2006). The semantic turn: A new foundation for design. Boca Raton: Taylor & Francis.

Schön, D. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Further sources may be added according to the thesis project directions and individual learning needs.

Rodgers, P and Yee, J (editors), (2014) The Routledge Companion to Design Research, Routledge

These readings will be complemented by resources available online.

Further sources may be added according to the thesis project directions and individual learning needs.

Plenary discussion and individual written evaluation, focusing on the learning outcomes and the means for achieving them (learning activities, resources, course organization etc.).