Since 1990, when it first started, the domains of research investigated by the doctoral programme in industrial design held within the Politecnico of Milano were mainly centred on a broad acception of innovation, assumed as a dynamic process involving the development or improving of new products, services, technology, processes, institutions, systems, solutions. This view of innovation encompasses not only science and technology, but the range of economic and social activities competing in the marketplace and relevant to design in areas such as communications, corporate organizations, education, institutions. If it is true that there is no single set of research methods for design research and that the simultaneous location of design research within natural science, social science, technology, economics and the humanities poses unique challenges to the issue of method, here it will be assumed that no strict methodological frameworks are needed to approach research from the 'design' angle. Rather, it is question of more holistic approaches, providing the correct dimension where design system-oriented attitudes can be best expressed, implying that it is necessary for design theorists and researchers to enlarge the areas of knowledge as well as to redirect the range of actions. Elements for this assumption are derived either from the trajectory of ideas which has been permeating the doctoral programme in Industrial Design at Politecnico di Milano and from critical points emerging from the present international debate investing the issue of design research.

Complexity, uncertainty, adaptability: Reflections around design research

PIZZOCARO, SILVIA LUISA
2000-01-01

Abstract

Since 1990, when it first started, the domains of research investigated by the doctoral programme in industrial design held within the Politecnico of Milano were mainly centred on a broad acception of innovation, assumed as a dynamic process involving the development or improving of new products, services, technology, processes, institutions, systems, solutions. This view of innovation encompasses not only science and technology, but the range of economic and social activities competing in the marketplace and relevant to design in areas such as communications, corporate organizations, education, institutions. If it is true that there is no single set of research methods for design research and that the simultaneous location of design research within natural science, social science, technology, economics and the humanities poses unique challenges to the issue of method, here it will be assumed that no strict methodological frameworks are needed to approach research from the 'design' angle. Rather, it is question of more holistic approaches, providing the correct dimension where design system-oriented attitudes can be best expressed, implying that it is necessary for design theorists and researchers to enlarge the areas of knowledge as well as to redirect the range of actions. Elements for this assumption are derived either from the trajectory of ideas which has been permeating the doctoral programme in Industrial Design at Politecnico di Milano and from critical points emerging from the present international debate investing the issue of design research.
2000
Doctoral Education in Design: Foundations for the Future
9781897898642
Doctoral education in design
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
La clusaz_original.pdf

Accesso riservato

: Pre-Print (o Pre-Refereeing)
Dimensione 92.83 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
92.83 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/510722
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact