Theory construction in design research: criteria: approaches, and methods

Design involves solving problems, creating something new, or transforming less desirable situations to preferred situations. To do this, designers must know how things work and why. Understanding how things work and why requires us to analyze and explain. This is the purpose of theory. The article outlines a framework for theory construction in design. This framework will clarify the meaning of theory and theorizing. It will explain the nature and uses of theory as a general concept. It will propose necessary and sufficient conditions for theory construction in design. Finally, it will outline potential areas for future inquiry in design theory.     

The status of design theory research in the United States

This paper contains a discussion of United States design theory research. It begins with a definition of a design theory and a brief history of design theory research. This is developed into the factors that affect the research direction and results. The paper concludes with a listing of the types of research currently being persued.     

Quality perceptions of design journals: The design scholars’ perspective

The primary objectives of this study were to identify a set of journals that report on industrial design research and to propose quality rankings of those journals. Based on an online survey, design journals were assessed in terms of two quality metrics: popularity and indexed average rank position. We find that both general and specialized design journals are highly valued and that geographic origin and academic background can be related with journal rankings. The results of the study offer a guide to both evaluators and those evaluated when judging or selecting research outlets.