1.1 Discourses in Design Research: Historical, Critical, and Speculative Perspectives

Corresponding Chairs

Peter Lloyd & Thodora Vardouli

Co-Chairs

Moa Carlsson, Arlene Oak, Anna Talley, Haian Xue

Abstract

The field of design research is now over 60 years old but, despite comprehensive archives existing (for example, the DRS Digital Library), little historical research has been done – with notable exceptions – that critically looks at how concepts in the field have developed during that time. More studies looking at how certain discourses in design research have come to dominate, whilst others have not, are long overdue. This theme track invites submissions that engage historically and critically with the ideas and concepts that have constructed the discipline of design research.

The range of archival analyses now possible with new computational methods and AI-powered tools precipitates new ways of considering historical discourses which are less focused on individual contributions and more on networks and communities of practice. We hope these types of analysis will sit alongside more traditional historical research in strengthening our understanding of discourse as both a central concept in design research and a method in critically examining its history. 

What is discourse about design research? What are its archives? And what is its relationship to design knowledge? We welcome submissions that explore such questions and contemplate the relevance of these histories for the present and future of the field. Equally, we encourage papers looking at how the future was explored in the past – for example through speculations about how Artificial Intelligence would change design and design research.

Ultimately, this theme track seeks to energize the development of a sub-discipline about the history of design research and foster dialogue about its scope, methods, and consequences.

Keywords

Design research, Discourse, History, Criticism, Speculative history

References

Atkinson, H., Oppenheimer, M. (20016) Introduction: design research – history, theory, practice: histories for future - focused thinking. In: P Lloyd and E Bohemia (eds) Future Focussed Thinking - DRS International Conference 2016, Brighton, United Kingdom, June, pp. 2585–2592. DOI: 10.21606/drs.2016.510.

Bayazit, N. (2004) Investigating design: a review of forty years of design research, Design Issues, 20, pp 16–29. 

DOI: 10.1162/074793604772933739

Boyd Davis, S., Gristwood, S. (2018) ‘A dialogue between the real-world and the operational model’ – The realities of design in Bruce Archer’s 1968 doctoral thesis, Design Studies, 56, pp 185-204,

DOI: 10.1016/j.destud.2017.11.005.

Kittler, F. (1990) Discourse Networks 1800/1900, Stanford University Press.

Vourdouli, T., Leblanc, M., Pertigkiozoglou, E. (2024) The design methods meshwork: Activating the Design Methods Group Newsletter through digital history, International Journal of Architectural Computing.

DOI: 10.1177/14780771231220903

Shapin, S. (1984) Talking History: Reflections on Discourse Analysis, Isis, 75, pp. 125-130.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/232362