1
Research should under pin & inform your work throughout your course of study. It is the first ‘port of call’ when confronted with any given design problem & without any research you will soon find yourself ‘all at sea’. The following short presentation is designed to:Introduction you to the varied types of research that we would expect you to undertake. Highlight what is not good research. How to disseminate and focus down on what you have collected & compiled. Show you some examples of good research practice.
Semester
Year 1 Research
Primary Research - Sights, Sounds & Smells Primary research is all about experience, observing something first hand. It may involve going to a particular Gallery or Museum, attending a dog show or going to the seaside. It may involve talking to a specific person or expert, listening to a live piece of music or just watching peoples general behaviour. Cultures & Subcultures. What ever form it takes Primary research is an invaluable means of truly understanding a subject or situation. You can hitch a ride to Glastonbury for three muddy days to loose yourself or you can make a cup of tea and watch it on TV from the comfort of your sofa. The former is obviously far superior to the later.
Secondary Research - Searching, Referencing & Reading Secondary research is often the standard from of research that we undertake & is normally undertaken after Primary research. Secondary research is a trip to the Library or second hand book shop. It may involve buying a book or looking through an archive. It is about focused collecting & compiling. It may involve referencing a certain style via a book, locating a specific type face or looking up a word or phrase in a dictionary. Searching the web, watching a film, reading about & understanding a given topic. These are only a few examples of Secondary research there are more... but I Guess you’ve got the picture by now. If not then start researching.
Comparative & Contextual Research - Positioning Comparative research is concerned with what else is out there in the environment or market place that is similar to what you are trying to find or design. Cross referencing It will put your own ideas and designs into a context, how and where they stand in comparison to a similar product. It could be a car, a chocolate bar or an organisation, it doesn’t really matter as the same rules apply. Example. You are designing & packaging a new high energy drink. Your comparative research would involve looking at the brand leader and all similar products within the market place. You would collect samples of the competition, look at how they compare on the shelf. Looking at shape, colour and design. Constantly comparing in order to understand & rationalise.
Trees - an example - The three methods of research
Primary
Secondary
Contextual
Visit a forest or a park Sit under the tree Draw the tree Photograph the tree Collect some leaves Listen to the tree
Find a picture of a tree from book or internet etc... is it a photograph or an illustration. What is the definition of a tree. Find phrases or sayings about trees. Contact the forestry commission. Talk to a tree surgeon
What type of tree is it? What is different about your tree? How does it compare to other trees? How have trees been used before? How can you make your tree different?
Summery Excellent research will combine all three of these categories. Primary + Secondary + Contextual = Well considered
Well reasoned & Well informed research
You should now be able ‘to tell the wood from the trees’
What is not good Research - Assumption Undertaking only one of the three main categories is not good thorough comprehensive research. If you begin to assume and guess, take short cuts and begin to loose focus when researching you will soon find yourself in the land of irrelevance. Your findings will be one dimensional, shallow and superficial. This will then manifest itself in your design work and it will become increasingly obvious that you have not really understood the subject. In fact you could come across as being a person who is one dimensional, shallow & superficial if you are not careful.
Never - Ever Admit that you can’t find reference to something. This just simply means you haven’t looked hard or long enough. There really is no excuse so do not offer one.
What have I collected - Making sense of my research You should have a combination of the following :Drawings & sketches Digital photographs Photocopies - Colour or black & white Three dimensional found objects Words, copy and text Ephemera or printed matter:- i.e. Leaflets, brochures or flyers Video footage & sound recordings
Compiling & Rationalising - Making sense of my research All your research will all be in vain if you can’t then interpret it & rationalise it. Don’t fall into the trap of sticking it all down in a hap-hazzard and un-considered way. It will not make sense. Spread out all your visuals & look at them as a whole - then start to edit & rationalise your research. Start looking for patterns or connections in your research. Constantly compare & contrast what you have found. Always be clear & concise when compiling your findings. Only then can you start to produce a series of mood boards, journal or sketch book in a clear and orderly fashion. You can then even produce a digital presentation if you wish.
Finally - practice makes perfect Your research Should always be interesting, informative & a learning curve for you the researcher. It should not be a seen as a chore. Should lead to a more informed opinion & better understanding of a subject opening other doors & possibilities Should be varied & creative. Remember The deeper and more expansive your research then the more successful & original your final design solution will be. Be imaginative with you research there is always room for new methods & invention ...and remember it’s not rocket science - that’s really complicated.
Compiling & Rationalising
These global brands prove the age old adage that ‘what goes around comes around’.
Calligraphic
Appetising
The above brands are all derivations of signatures. They have an authenticity and personal feel that reassures the viewer.
Psychologically red and yellow are the most appetising colour combination and this is employed to maximum effect by the brands above.
“I was so impressed I bought the company”.
“It’s also fun and cheap to eat here.”
utilitarian
Characteristic
All the marques featured above use the utilitarian colour combination of black and yellow to maximum effect.
An entrepreneur, a belief and a mythology have all been given a face to sell fast food, cereal and life insurance.
“We’ll make a note of that, move heaven and earth, get it to you safely and as soon as possible�.
Like the signatures these characters are a tangible physiognomic representation of a brand.
animals
Our earliest ancestors first mark making was the abstract representation of the animal kingdom. No change there then.
Cave painting - Altamira