Qualitative Design Research Methods

Course Overview

Philosophy and historical perspectives in research Role of objectivity and validation in research, Epistemology, Positivism, post-positivism, and skepticism, Deduction and induction, The crisis of representation, Postmodern and post-experimental inquiry, Postcolonial concerns and interpretation, Design research What is design research, How is design research different from design, How is design research different from other forms of research, Why design research, Research process Reviewing prior work, referencing and contextualizing, Formulating a research question, Framing the hypothesis, Review of literature, Research design, Methodological framework, Data collection, Analysis, Model building, Validation / triangulation, Articulation and argument, Qualitative design research methods and tools Protocol analysis, Semiotics and structuralism, Grounded theory, Contextual inquiry, Ethnography / visual ethnography, Case study method, Content analysis, Narrative analysis, Visual research methods, Material culture, Coding and data analysis using software (computer assisted qualitative data analysis tools e.g. Atlas.ti, MAXQDA, Excel, NVivo etc.) Design research domains that use qualitative research User studies, Product evaluation, Typography, Architecture, Innovation, Design pedagogy, Film Studies, Image-making and representation.

Total Credits	6.0
Type	Theory
Lecture	3.0
Half Semester	N
Text Reference	Hugh Beyer and Karen Holtzblatt, contextual design, Morgan Kaufmann (1998),David Silverman, Doing qualitative research, sage (2007),Glaser N and Strauss A, The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research (1967),Juliet Corbin and Anselm Strauss, Basics of qualitative research, sage (2008),Paivi Eriksson and Anne Kovalainen, Qualitative methods in business research, sage (2008),Joseph Maxwell, Qualitative research design – An interactive approach 2nd ed., sage publications, (2004),Colins, Hilary; Creative research – The theory and practice of research for the creative industries; AVA publishing SA; Lausanne; 2010,Norman K. Denzin, Yvonna S. Lincoln; Handbook of qualitative research; sage publications, Inc; 2nd edition (2000),Miller D; ed. Material cultures: Why some things matter, University of Chicago Press (1998),Pink, Sarah; Doing visual ethnography, sage publications (2001),Hamilton, Peter; visual research methods, sage publications (2006),Prosser Jon ed.; image-based research; Routledgefalmer (1998)

About Instructor

Prof. Nina Sabnani

Prof. Nina Sabnani is an artist and storyteller who uses film, illustration and writing to tell her stories. Graduating from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Vadodara she received a master’s degree in film from Syracuse University, NY, as a Fulbright Fellow. Her doctoral research at IIT Bombay, focused on the Kaavad storytelling tradition of Rajasthan. Her work in film and illustrated books, seeks to bring together animation and ethnography. Her award-winning films have been made into illustrated books and translated in many Indian languages. Her passion to explore participatory design has led her to make Hum Chitra Banate Hain (We make Images) with Sher Singh Bhil from Madhya Pradesh won the prestigious National award from the President of India for 2016.