Case study and data sampling methods

The case study methodology allows me to ask and answer “How” and “Why” questions (Miles,

Huberman, Huberman & Huberman, 1994: 143). According to Yin (2017), and Baxter and Jack

(2008: 544), these questions are essential when studying complex phenomena within their context. Yin and Baxter (2008: 544) further argue that qualitative modes of inquiry inform this contextual relevance in research. Baxter and Jack (2008: 545) describes how the case study research methodology supports a systems theory approach in order to understand the complex nature of phenomenological concepts (such as Designing for Sustainability).

Figure 4.3: Research methodology (Image by Corbin Raymond, 2019)

Drawing from this understanding, I have selected the structured course which has been outlined in the LeNSes project requirement as a case through which to generate data. I continue to present and thematically analyse this data. The objective of the case study, see Figure 4.3, is to extrapolate critical approaches to the praxis of design, specifically the praxis of S.PSS and Biomimicry when designing for sustainability.

I present the research subjects within this case study as the student projects from the structured course. The student projects are tangible and intangible artifacts that have been prototyped and presented within an undergraduate industrial design course. The reason why this is the research subjects is that the artifacts embody the design approaches students used, based on design tools and techniques which are informed by Biomimicry and S.PSS. Therefore, the data generated will draw on how these artifacts came to exist and what they embody.

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I use a mixed-method approach to gather qualitative data sets (Baxter & Jack, 2008: 547). These data sets consist of:

• questionnaires (completed by the design students and course facilitators)

• document analysis comprising of reports (completed by students and an external observer) • contemporary – and classical literature (relevant and supportive to the research context) • mixed media observations (images and videos related to the course)

• semi-structured interviews (with the participating design students and design educators of the course)

The questionnaires and interviews were open-ended to ensure that the participants could freely contribute and express their opinions and answers. The consent form has been used in this regard to ensure that the participants were aware of their contributing role in my research. The challenge was to allow students to participate without them feeling pressured or fearful of their assessment marks being affected by my research. My research did not interfere with the assessment of student marks during the research, which alleviates concerns of the perceptions students might have. Therefore, I distributed the consent form to the selected students to ensure that they were aware of my research study and that they could freely decide on whether or not to contribute to the research.

The C-SAN-Futures and the LeNSes projects were the main drivers as mechanisms to ensure the active participation of participants. These projects researched Design for Sustainability and have already fostered good academic partnerships between the participating HEI’s. This relationship was a leveraging mechanism that I have utilized to engage with the participants of the study.

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4.3.1 Role of researcher

I am a facilitator of meaningful engagements with Industrial Design students, and I teach design approaches to S.PSS (applied to DRE) and Biomimicry as a way to achieve Design for Sustainability in the learning outcomes of an HEI. This engagement with the study allowed me to collect data through which I could identify and analyse critical themes of the case study and develop a set of guidelines from the collected data. As the researcher, I co-facilitate the structured course. Additionally, I was responsible for the primary collection of data and storing the collected data in a safe, and password- controlled data hard drive.

My role was to ensure that the aims of qualitative research are met in a clear, objective, and meaningful way (Mack, 2005: 4). I did the following:

• Selected the participants for the study and ensured that the mechanisms to ensure active participation were applied to finish the research without compromising the quality of the data in any way.

• Identified an external observer to assess the quality of design education on Designing for Sustainability during the course which I facilitated.

• Collected, documented and captured data through mixed-method techniques that included: questionnaires, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews.

• Support and contribute to the two significant research projects (C-SAN- Futures and LeNSes) with knowledge building and research outputs on Climate Change and Designing for Sustainability in the form of project reports, conference papers, journal publications, and this thesis research.

4.3.2 Selection criteria used for data collection of participants

I used specific criteria for selecting research participants, the observer, students and HEIs through a hand-picked selection process. Each participant was personally contacted and invited to participate by me through direct dialogue or through electronic messaging platforms where consent forms were either provided through print format or digital format. My research formed part of larger research projects and I had to meet the following selection criteria:

4.3.2.1 The selection criteria of the participating HEI were that:

• The HEI had to be located in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. • Offer design programs specifically in Industrial Design.

• Had given consent that the research would be conducted in their facilities. • Had an interest in Research and Designing for Sustainability.

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4.3.2.2 The selection criteria of the participating design students were that:

• Undergraduate students had to be registered as Industrial Design students within the academic year in which the data was collected.

• The students had to be from the identified HEI. • The students had to give their consent.

• They had to be physically able to participate and not have any physical disability or mental impairment.

4.3.2.3 The selection criteria of the participating external observer are that:

• The observer should not be affiliated with the identified HEI.

• The observer has to have prior experience in content and pedagogy development. • Have a personal interest in Sustainability and Designing for Sustainability.

• The observer had to give consent to be part of the research.

• The observer had to have the ability to observe, document, and compile an observer’s report based on the way learning was facilitated as well as document the student’s learning and design work.

• The person had to be physically able to participate and not have any physical disability or mental impairment.

4.3.2.4 The selection criteria of the participating HEI educators were that:

• The educator had to be employed by the identified HEI in a permanent lecturing position and teach in either of the undergraduate or post-graduate design courses. • Have a personal interest in design research and design education about Designing for

Sustainability.

• The educator had to be physically able to participate and not have any physical disability or mental impairment.

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4.3.3 Research activities

The focus of this thesis is to investigate two design methods, Biomimicry and S.PSS into a more holistic and inclusive approach to DfS in order to be future-orientated with sustainable solution offerings as opposed to designing for DfS with these two methods in isolation (Irwin, Kossoff & Tonkinwise, 2015: 4). In order to achieve the integration of the two design methods into more holistic future orientated inclusive approach the following measures were put in place:

• Capturing, evaluating, and analyzing data from a growing body of literature on Design for Sustainability, Biomimicry, and S.PSS.

• Translation of the data into course material for Designing for Sustainability. • Academic outputs in the form of research posters and conference papers. • Facilitation of learning and studio contact time with the design students.

• Researching teaching tools and mechanisms for students to follow during their course work in Designing for Sustainability.

• Sourcing appropriate student participants.

• Development, distribution, and collection of research questionnaires.

• Sourcing an external observer to write an observational feedback report on the Design for Sustainability course.

These research activities ensure that the qualitative data sets are provided with content and contextually rich material. This draws thematic discussions forward in order to analyze the effectiveness of the methods used to gather data. Additionally, it allows me to answer the main research question – by answering the sub-questions – through inductive thematic analysis, as seen Chapter 6.4 on page 82.

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