Research in Design

In our last few classes of the semester, we discussed ethics in research.  I believe a huge ethical dillema in the design profession, if the lack of design research to support design work.  In the conclusion and recommendations section of my term research paper I commented:

It is recommended that research courses be implemented into interior design undergraduate programs to promote primary research studies.  This implementation could inspire research professions in design and begin development for the much needed guidelines and standards for research in design. The industry needs to support and encourage research to protect and enhance the health, life safety, and welfare of the public

This research did not successfully attain it goals to reveal potential omissions in our interior design professional standards, raise awareness for educators and students, and highlight the importance of continuing education for the whole industry.  However, further investigations are warranted and necessary to fulfill the ethical responsibility to not only protect but also enhance the health, life safety, and welfare of the public. 

Although, I was unable to attain definitive results from my research, I believe the study helped to inform the process for design research.  Check back with the blog this summer for the beginning of a discussion about guidelines for design research.