I like just about everything Marc Rettig writes a whole lot, so I need to bookmark
this new mailing list posting where he compares market research to design research…
Market research typically attempts to answer questions of general trends, differences across a large group, general attitudes and preferences.
Design research typically attempts to reveal latent, unspoken or masked needs and desires; can reveal emotions and psycho-cultural aspects; attempts to get at the “why†behind attitudes and preferences.
…
Response
Victor – You might be interested in Liz Sanders’ recent article in the inaugural issue of Design Research Quarterly on Generative Design tools. I reference it on Design Dialogues:
http://dialogicdesign.wordpress.com/2007/02/22/generative-participatory-design/
“The name ‘generative tools’ refers to the creation of a shared design language that designers/researchers and the stakeholders use to communicate visually and directly with each other.”
Liz is one of the few people explicitly developing this as new ground, and if you look around the state-of-art, you don’t hear this critical distinction being made between designer-led vs. user-led generative design. Highly recommended article ….