What is design research? The nature and process of design research ; the purpose of design research ; research approaches -- How do we embark on design research? Formulating research questions ; conducting a literature search and review ; developing a research plan -- How do we conduct design research? Asking questions ; data collection methods ; analysing information ; ethical issues -- How do we communicate design research? Writing techniques ; writing for your audience ; publicising your research -- Examples of design research? How we embark on design research ; how we conduct design research ; how we communicate design research.

The Routledge Companion to Design Research offers a comprehensive examination of design research, celebrating the plurality of design research and the wide range of conceptual, methodological, technological and theoretical approaches evident in contemporary design research. This volume comprises 39 original and high quality design research chapters from contributors all over the world, with contributions from the vast array of disciplines in and around the modern design praxis, including areas such as industrial and product design, visual communication, interaction design, fashion design, hacktivism, and architecture. The Companion is divided into five distinct sections with chapters that examine the nature and process of design research, the purpose of design research, and how one might embark on design research. They also explore how leading design researchers conduct their design research through formulating and asking questions in novel ways, and the creative methods and tools they use to collect and analyse data. The Companion also includes a number of case studies that illustrate how one might best communicate and disseminate design research through contributions that offer techniques for writing and publicising your research. The Routledge Companion to Design Research will have wide appeal to researchers and educators in design and design-related disciplines such as engineering, business, marketing, computing, and will make an invaluable contribution to state-of-the-art design research at postgraduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral levels and teaching across a wide range of different disciplines