Contents
Industrial design is presented as a growing field of research within the design sciences and is positioned in its epistemologic and scientific context. The various phases of the research process are presented, from formulation of a problem and a hypothesis, over planning and realisation of an investigation to the treatment, presentation and interpretation of results. Introductions are given to information searching in scientific data bases, scientific authorship and writing of popular reports. A research report including an abstract is thereafter written in English about a current project (group work).

Research methods within the three main areas of industrial design (Management, Meta-qualities and Methodology) are presented by researchers in industrial design. Qualitative investigation methods will be given special attention in the course.

Literature
Research methods:
Patel R, Davidson B, 2003. Forskningsmetodikens grunder. Att planera, genomföra och rapportera en undersökning. Studentlitteratur, Lund.
Crix J, 2004. The Foundations of Research. Palgrave Study Guides.
Dissertations and scientific papers:
Akner Koler C, 2003. Embedding complexity. Evolution of a modernistic theory of form in a spatial context. Konstfack, Stockholm, and Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden.
Edeholt H, Löwgren J, 2004. Industrial design in a post-industrial society – a framework for understanding the relationship between industrial design and interaction design. (5th European Academy of design Conference http://www.ub.edu/5ead/PDF/1/EdeholtLowgren.pdf. (Paper 2 in Edeholt’s PhD thesis).
Ihlstedt Hjelm S, 2004. Making Sense – Design for Wellbeing. Thesis, Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan/Royal University of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
Sperling L, Christoforidou D, Olander E, 2005. Communication with users in industrial design activities. Submitted paper, Division of Industrial design, LTH, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Svengren L, 1995. Industriell design som strategisk resurs. En studie av designprocessens metoder och synsätt som del i företags strategiska utveckling.(Industrial design as a strategic resource. A study of methods and perspectives of industrial design as part of the strategic development in the company). Doktorsavhandling/PhD thesis, Ekonomihögskolan, Lunds Universitet. Lund Studies in Economics and Management no. 24, Lund, Sweden.
Wikström L, 2002. Produktens budskap. Metoder för värdering av produkters semantiska funktioner ur ett användningsperspektiv. (The product’s message. Methods for evaluation of products’ semantic functions from a user perspective). PhD thesis, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden.
Utvalda aktuella artiklar ur tidskifterna/Selected papers from the journals Design Issues, Design Journal och Design Studies.