Research Utilization in the Design Decision Making Process

Design Management Journal

2017

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If research findings remain unknown, they are unlikely to improve design processes and outcomes. While design scholars have lamented the lack of research utilization by practitioners, some designers have derided their efforts. While scholars have outlined strategies to decrease the research utilization gap, these are largely one‐sided suggestions and have lacked widespread implementation and testing. As such, a great deal of information likely remains out of the hands of those who could use it when making decisions that have real‐world implications. To determine a common understanding and collective direction surrounding design research utilization, this article synthesizes existing literature from social science, business, and information management, along with relevant findings from two national surveys. Using this evidence, this article proposes a model framed by economics and aimed at decreasing the research utilization gap prevalent in design. It calls for action on the part of both research producers and consumers and highlights specific issues, including topic selection, information translation, dissemination efforts, increasing awareness, value identification, and factors of action. The goal is for all parts of the design community to share in the responsibility for informing each other, thus growing our collective knowledge.

Section: On the Right Trackmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Lessons From Economicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design Research: Off the Rails or on the Right Track?

Design Management Journal

2017

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“…Findings suggested that greater elaboration resulted when messages were presented in a visually integrative manner (i.e., graphics with text) and that visual cues could be, and often are, processed as central elements. In fact, previous research by the author suggested that hedonic qualities including composition and use of imagery may attract interior design practitioners to information sources (Huber, ).…”

Section: Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In fact, in a recent survey by the author, over half of the 366 interior design practitioner respondents indicated that they generally spent less than 10 minutes reviewing an information source. Moreover, only 11% referenced scholarly articles (Huber, ). With a myriad of information sources available and little time with which designers can assess them, it may behoove design scholars to employ tactics rooted in communication design and persuasive messaging, thus persuading designers to read the material and potentially apply the research findings despite any stressors at hand.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Seeing Intriguing? Practitioner Perceptions of Research Documents

Journal of Interior Design

2016

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Although design practitioners have a myriad of information sources available, they often have little time to evaluate the information. The need to study visual persuasive tactics is highlighted by (1) the propensity of designers to use visual communications, (2) the availability of sources that range in validity, (3) work stressors encountered by designers, and (4) the benefits of using peer‐reviewed sources. Given these contexts, it may behoove design scholars to acknowledge the constraints and desires of their intended audience, which may include practicing interior designers. Framed by Petty and Cacioppo's Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) of persuasion, this study's goal was to compare design practitioners' hedonic perceptions of empirical research documents. Thirty‐four participants completed a mixed‐method survey soliciting perceptions relative to the organizational strategies and word‐to‐image ratios of two document iterations. Responses ascertained from Likert‐type scales, heat maps, and open‐ended questions suggest that designers, at times, evaluate an information source based on the graphic quality in which it is presented. Taken together, findings from this study might provide some useful guidance for those conveying information to practitioners who are less familiar with academic literature but could benefit from the knowledge provided, thus increasing the likelihood of informed design decision‐making practices. Furthermore, the methods utilized during this inquiry might serve as a pilot for future studies in this area.

“…While literature lacks recent studies exploring the decision‐making processes of designers when making human capital decisions, studies have suggested that designers call on rapid information processes during the design process (Gray, Seifert, Yilmaz, Daly, & Gonzalez, ; Yilmaz & Seifert, ) and when reviewing information under time constraints (Huber, , , ). Given that over one in four of Huber and Pable's () hiring practitioner respondents received over 50 applicants for a typical entry‐level interior design job opening, one might infer that the time allocated to each candidate's package is relatively limited, and consequently, heuristics may factor heavily into these initial assessments.…”

Section: Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Hiring Practitioner Preferences for and Assessment Practices of Prospective Candidates

Journal of Interior Design

2018

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While the decision‐making strategies involved in the design process have long been a topic of scholarly exploration, less attention has been devoted to probing the likely antecedents to other decisions that potentially influence design practice. One such decision is the formation of a project team, which is likely influenced by those who are hired to work in a firm. While some interior design scholars have outlined the skills and characteristics viewed as most desirable by hiring practitioners, there remains relatively little information regarding the assessment of those attributes and how decision‐making strategies may sway the hiring process. This study sought the perceptions of those hiring entry‐level interior design candidates. More specifically, it aimed to determine preferences among the commonly cited factors of employability; namely, if hiring practitioners were more apt to prefer soft skills, hard skills, or specific experiences. The study then sought to discern whether those attributes are assessed through either System 1 (i.e., gut‐level abbreviated processes often reliant on heuristics) or System 2 strategies (i.e., rational, conscious processes utilizing a broad array of evidence). Findings stemming from a survey of (n = 106) senior‐level interior design practitioners suggest that they are likely to prioritize soft skills when screening candidates. Moreover, practitioners may utilize System 1 processes, heuristics, and relatively subjective strategies—to assess these attributes. Findings offer practical implications while contributing to the body of knowledge regarding the employability of interior design university graduates by empirically examining how hiring practitioners prioritize of a range of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns.