Designerly Research Methods and
Researcherly Design Methods
Ricardo Sosa, PhD
aut.ac.nz/profiles?id=rsosa
@designcomputing

about
across
along
amid
around
as
before
behind
beneath
beyond
by
despite
during
for
from
in
into
like
near
of
on
onto
over
regarding
through
underneath
upon
via
within
Research
Practice

Rich Goldstein’s matrix of creative hats

StoltermanCandy GrocottVaughan Edmonds Forlizzi
Zimmerman
Dalsgaard
GiaccardiMarkussenAgid
Brandt
Morrison
DiSalvo Søndergaard Joyce Yee Hagen
Gaver

researcherly designer: a designer trained in research
designerly researcher: a researcher trained in design
Yee, J. (2017). The researcherly designer/the designerly researcher. In L. Vaughan (Ed.),
Practice-based Design Research (pp. 155). London: Bloomsbury Academic.

Researcherly
designer
Designerly
researcher

Haseman, B. 2007. Rupture and recognition: Identifying the performative research paradigm. In: E. Barrett & B. Bolt
(eds) Practice as research: Approaches to creative arts enquiry. London: Tauris, I.B.
‘Methods used by the practitioner can stand as
research methods in their own right’

The ‘same’ techniques, tools, and methods
are indeed used by individuals for design
activity and when they ‘change hats’ to
carry out research activity

How they use these methods can be
clearly distinguished by the purposes for
which they use them

Rich Goldstein’s matrix of creative hats

Professional uses Academic uses

Researcherly design methods
• To address problems
• To produce solutions
• Proficiency is king
• Use is opaque
• Outcomes are particular
• Quality of product
• Clients determine impact
Designerly research methods
•To address questions
•To produce knowledge
•Criticality is queen
•Use is communicable
•Outcomes are transferable
•Quality of process
•Peers determine impact

Sosa R. and Grocott L. (2020) The creative
translation of design methods into social research,
in Researching in The Age of Covid-19. Volume 3:
Creativity and Ethics. Editor(s): Kara, Helen and
Khoo, Su-ming. Policy Press, Bristol.

Designerly Research Methods and
Researcherly Design Methods
Ricardo Sosa, PhD
aut.ac.nz/profiles?id=rsosa
@designcomputing

https://howardschatz.com/human-body/athletes/