Teaching Research in Design: Guidelines for Integrating Scientific Standards in Design Education

Since the 1990s, the concern to define areas of research in design has dominated academic debates. As a result, we are now facing a multitude of understandings. This is especially true for practice-based design research. Sandra Dittenberger, Hans Stefan Moritsch and Agnes Raschauer discuss how the concept of learning by research can be integrated into product design studio teaching. They show different international approaches for integrating research into teaching and contrast the areas of design research with scientific standards. The book features study results that helped generate both a general orientation for research in design education and guidelines for students of how to integrate research into their project work.

Sandra Dittenberger (Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr.) is a professor for human-centred design and design research at New Design University St. Pölten, Austria. As an industrial designer and design researcher, her research focuses on human-centred design process methodologies, socio-technical product development, design for human diversity, design for wellbeing and design education research.

Hans Stefan Moritsch (Univ.-Prof. Mag.) is a designer and professor at the New Design University St. Pölten, Austria, where he has been head of the Manual & Material Culture course since 2013. His research focuses on the connection between theory and practice in design education and the development of transitions between dual and tertiary education models.

Agnes Raschauer is a sociologist working at Universität Wien, Austria, and as research associate in the project »Research in Design Education«. Her areas of work are qualitative methodology, university research, knowledge cultures and social inequality.