Design Research as a Discipline: Understanding the Present and Predicting the Future

Abstract

This article examines the role of design research in contemporary design education for master’s level students. The author discusses the general role of design research in the development of modern design and argues that for today’s design professionals good grounding in research during the training period is indispensable. Teaching design research for master’s level students means introducing them to one of the key skills in developing innovations. The article presents experience of teaching design research for students at a master’s level design educational program in Kyrgyzstan. Combining the best international approaches, design research was introduced as one of the central components of the new educational programs. Several courses teach students major trends and tools in design research, allowing them to expand their horizons and to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge. It is to be hoped that future development of this programme will produce ground-breaking results in local design education.