Common Ground 'Research-Exhibition'

Preface

A NOTE from Alec Robertson (Co-convenor):

Firstly I will state unequivocally that I have high respect for the design research community in putting on the map of research the subject of 'design', as a valid discipline and research topic. The valuable contribution design researchers make to advancing understanding is important and crucial to creating a better 'artificial' world, and the more the better. However as a young area it has yet to mature to do research, and disseminate its outcomes, 'on its own terms', rather than adopting ways of the 'sciences' and 'humanities'. One way it could make headway is to adapt the 'exhibition' as a means for research dissemination, especially to design practitioners at the cutting edge of 'changing the world' for the better.

The aim of the experimental research-exhibition notion was to assist the design community to do research and disseminate it "on its own terms', where "words support designs' rather than 'designs supporting words' as in the research-paper. This it is contended may encourage more designers to engage the research community due to the prevalance of media skills and the visual communication of information.

In my view, the Exhibit that satisfied criteria best at Common Ground Exhibition was that of Matt Scone MA - '4D LIGHTS'. His set of four exhibits of experimental interactive lighting objects was supported by a large digital archive of his design and research process that chronologically documented this and his thinking in all aspects. As such it provided a superior record of the work compared to a 'research paper'. Although this research-exhibit satisfied the criteria set for the Common Ground Exhibition of (c) "Exhibits with a format aimed to be stand-alone research publications, supported by a permanent record." subsequent public access to this record was to be via a website. Being a 'personal' website at the time when the 'research referees' reviewed the work and it was not an 'Establishment' one was probably the reason that they erred on the side of caution in not giving it the equivalent status of a 'research-paper'. Otherwise this would have created a precedent and challenged the status quo. The permanent record of this work subsequently was kept 'private', and its public dissemination was not pursued due to the circumstances.

There were polarised views in the design research community about the concept of the 'research-exhibition' at the time. Many design researchers were content with the status quo.

The 'Research-Exhibition' could empower designers to engage more with the design research-culture, and increase formal publications of quality research outcomes. Designers tend to have the media skills that are required for this form of research dissemination, and more so than academic writing. It would be 'more on their terms' Such a new format for accrediting research has yet to be established, even though digital media has advanced significantly to enable it to happen relatively easily.

Perhaps the 'time is ripe' to re-kindle this initative.

For a conference paper discussing this pioneering experiment within the DRS 'Common Ground 2002', as a credible new way of disseminating the outcomes of design research, click below for a PDF download of a paper by the Co-convenors.

'SHOW or TELL?'

Some other related information

See DDR2 for some discussion on research and its publication (video).

'A Stitch in Time Save Nine': A view on the research-culture generally.

Online Media Use: a conference presentation on tools for the Research-Exhibition.

For the DRS website and its general archives of Events, Conferences, and publications.

Alec Robertson : Co-Convenor