Letters to the Network

From the very beginning of its existence in the year 2002 the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Designtheorie und -forschung/DGTF (German Association of Design Theory and Research) has challenged the idea of a very specific, if not unique, approach towards qualitative and innovative research in the field of design. It is therefore highly appreciated to closely link these activities to the newly founded Design Research Network. In particular the discourse and exchange between postgraduates and doctoral candidates (but also students will be welcomed) can be enhanced by this new network that also will embrace scholars: be it as academic consultants, as PhD supervisors or simply as debaters. The DRN will certainly enrich, quicken and advance the important discussion on the equally new and overdue discussion of design research. The DGTF will strive to develop the discussion further, and its members will be more than happy to participate in this theoretical and empirical “movement”.

Ce n’est qu’un début / this is only the beginning…..

Prof. Dr. Uta Brandes
Chairwoman
DGTF

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The European Academy of Design is very pleased to support the launch of the Design Research Network.

The European Academy of Design was formed in 1995 to promote the publication and dissemination of research in design through conferences hosted by different educational institutions in Europe and the publication of proceedings, newsletters and a journal, to improve European wide research collaboration and dissemination. It is now in its twelfth year and has held 7 conferences across Europe. The whole philosophy of the EAD has been to support research dialogue and especially to welcome emerging researchers, by sharing knowledge and expertise and by being constructively critical. Design research is in some places still in its infancy whilst in others it is very well developed, it is important to be part of a community to ensure we benefit from the knowledge and experience across Europe and indeed the world.

At each of the EAD conferences there we have seen a growth in doctoral and masters students all presenting their research and importantly to exchange ideas, this network provides a platform from which these students can continue to connect and is a most welcome. Design Research draws on a very eclectic set of methods, tools and techniques, one of the most important aspects of such a Network is to document the trends in design research and the methods used, this would provide an invaluable service for future design researchers across the world.

EAD looks forward to a fruitful and synergistic relationship with the Design Research Network

Professor Rachel Cooper
Chair
European Academy of Design

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It is of a particular pleasure and honour for me to congratulate Prof. Dr. Gesche Joost, Dr. Rosan Chow and their colleagues from the Design Research group at Deutsche Telekom Labs, Berlin University of Technology, to the successful implementation of this very useful forum for design theory and research. The Design Research Network has the aim to stimulate the exchange of ideas among doctoral students and researchers in design. In this way, it will pave the way for lively and hopefully controversial discussions which will surely advance our knowledge both on the theoretical and practical issues of design.

In the past 10 years, there has been an international movement to develop research and doctoral education in design. This does not come to a surprise: For everyone who is carrying out research on the quality and usability of telecommunication systems and services (like we do at Deutsche Telekom Labs), it is evident that successful service design has to be based on a thorough theoretical basis. This implies knowledge not only on a technological and on a psychological, psychophysical and a human-factors side, but essentially in an area where these disciplines overlap: The design of the user interface. Interface design needs stimulations from a theoretical basis so that it is not only an “art” of practitioners, but a well-founded result of careful considerations on what needs to be taken into account when designing intuitively usable user interfaces.

I am sure that the Design Research Network will develop into a forum for exchanging the ideas on such a theoretical basis. In this way, it will enrich not only our knowledge on design theory and research, but finally help to provide better systems and services for the human user. I wish you an excellent success in the pursuit of this aim, and lots of lively discussions.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Möller
Quality and Usability Lab
Deutsche Telekom Laboratories, TU Berlin