2021/22 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue
PDES5185M Design Research
20 creditsClass Size: 55
Module manager: Professor Alison McKay
Email: A.McKay@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2021/22
Pre-requisite qualifications
Completion of Level 3 Product Design or equivalentPre-requisites
| PDES1510 | Design Studio 1 |
| PDES2200 | Design Studio 2 |
| PDES3110 | Design Project |
This module is not approved as an Elective
Objectives
The aim of this module is to provide students with an appreciation of what constitutes the forefront of the academic and professional discipline of product design and a self-awareness in their design practice that comes from having learnt in a research environment. The following objectives are pursued.- To provide students with opportunities to show originality in the application and development of design-related knowledge.
- To give students an understanding of how the boundaries of knowledge are advanced through design research.
- To develop students’ skills to deal with complex issues, sometimes in the context of wicked problems, both systematically and creatively.
- To develop in students attitudes and qualities needed to operate effectively in unpredictable professional environments.
- To raise awareness of the importance of considering a wide range of design stakeholders in design activities.
- To further develop students’ transferable skills, including oral communication and academic writing, team working, information searching and retrieval, and self-reflection and professional development.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
1. Plan research projects in pursuit of given research objectives and in line with ethical requirements.
2. Use library resources to find and acquire published literature in a given area.
3. Write up research projects as short academic journal papers.
4. Recognise areas of research that are likely to have an impact on Product Design practice in the future.
5. For three specific areas of research:
a. gain an awareness of the research area through literature review and participation in design research seminars;
b. complete a small-scale design research project linked to their own design practice;
c. reflect upon how the research area might influence future design practice and so develop improved self-awareness.
Syllabus
Two lectures will be delivered at the beginning of the module:
1. Introduction to the module.
2. Introduction to research ethics: using people in research.
3. Literature searching, using library resources, referencing and citing.
4. Ethics approval: theory and practice
These will provide general knowledge and awareness needed to complete three design research projects which will be delivered through private study plus a total average of approximately 12 hours seminar/workshop per project. Each project will result in a research paper which will be peer reviewed by two other students on the module.
The projects will be structured using Frayling’s categories of design research: research into design, research for design and research through design.
The module will provide insights into design innovation & management, design technology, marketing & human factors/user research, and experience of research process.
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Workshop | 1 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Workshop | 1 | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Workshop | 1 | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Workshop | 3 | 3.00 | 9.00 |
| In Course Assessment | 1 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Meetings | 1 | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Lecture | 2 | 1.00 | 2.00 |
| Lecture | 3 | 2.00 | 6.00 |
| Practical | 1 | 6.00 | 6.00 |
| Seminar | 1 | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Tutorial | 1 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Independent online learning hours | 12.00 | ||
| Private study hours | 148.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 40.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200.00 | ||
Private study
Development of academic writing skills using Skills Centre resources.Preparation for seminars/workshops and completing research projects.
Writing up research papers
Peer reviewing other students’ papers
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
The students receive formative feedback on a writing assignment by end of week 3 and in the research workshops that are an integral part of the module.Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Report | Research paper | 33.30 |
| Report | Research paper | 33.30 |
| Report | Research paper | 33.40 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100.00 | |
Peer reviews 6 reviews of other students' papers - 2 in semester 1 and 1 in semester 2.
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 30/06/2021 16:23:30
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- Undergraduate module catalogue
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