Research Methodology
4. Descriptive Study 2
The aim of the ‘descriptive study 2’ is to test whether the support developed in the prescriptive study addresses the identified factors as proposed, as well as to see if it contributes to success.
Figure 3.4 Blessing et al. (1995) Design Research Methodology
63
In the field of design research, DRM (Blessing et al., 1995; Blessing and Chakrabati , 2009) has been adopted and adapted in various studies of design (Ahmed, 2000; Dong, 2004; Cardoso, 2005; Gupta, 2007, Cifter, 2011).
3.2 Adopting a research strategy
Various research strategies and viewpoints were reviewed in Section 3.1.1. This research is primarily qualitative and inductive. However, a quantitative approach is adopted in a survey study in order to collect design practitioners’ and researchers’ self reflections on information behaviour. Also, a deductive approach is adopted in the literature analysis stage through formulating an initial framework. From an epistemological standpoint, this research is primarily concerned with the behaviour of designers, dealing with qualitative data and relying on both subjective and objective measures of designers’ practice, therefore it can be explained by constructivism. Thus an interpretivist theoretical approach is adopted. This research is a combination of exploratory and descriptive research as the existing literature about designers’ information behaviour is scarce and research needs to be carried out in order to uncover new elements and structure (the information framework). It should be noted that the approach towards the study of designers’ information behaviour in this research is ‘descriptive’ but not ‘explanatory’ in that it provides a detailed picture of various dimensions of information behaviour but does not aim to examine the reasons behind the behaviour and casual relationships. As discussed, explanatory research is carried out when the research area has matured, while this research area in design is still of an unexplored nature and needs to be clearly defined as a first step. Table 3.2 summarises the research strategy in adopting various approaches.
64
Table 3.2 Research strategy adopted for this research
Area Existing Research Strategies Adopted Research Strategy
General/ quantitative studies such as a survey Inductive
3.3 Designing a research methodology
Case (2008) addresses designing a research methodology as ‘designing investigations’ and methods as ‘techniques of observation and measurement’.
Poole and McPhee (1995, p.43) interpret methods as “one’s point of contact with the world” and emphasise the importance of selecting appropriate methods in order to carry out a valid and reliable investigation. After the review of a number of relevant social sciences and design research methodologies in Section 3.1.2, and based on the nature of the information behaviour study and its aims and objectives, a specific research methodology was designed. The general research methodology adopts an integrative approach to existing research methodologies where the general elements of DRM (Blessing et al., 2009) and Case’s stages of research process (2008) are applied and Robson’s (2003) research methodology is also implemented in specifying research methods and techniques of data collection and analysis.
65
The study adopts a convergent methodology (Goodman et al., 2006) through employing a number of research methods. The research triangulation (Jick, 1979; Creswell and Clark, 2007) approach is adopted in order to enable cross examination (Cheng, 2005) of the results of the studies. Thus, the initial framework outlined based on literature analysis and synthesis; is planned to be revised, evaluated and detailed in an iterative cycle through three types of complementary studies, i.e. interviews with designers, observations of designers and a survey with designers and design researchers. Studies vary in terms of breadth, depth, level of control, scope and generalisability (Henn et al., 2006).
Through using a variety of methods, approaches and participants along with the literature analysis and synthesis, validity and reliability (Gray, 2004) of research is hoped to be improved.
Creswell (2009) argues that mixed methods research provides the best information, thus such an approach is adopted in designing each of the three types of studies above and where possible, a number of complimentary methods are implemented in order to collect data through multiple rather than single channels. Each method has its own advantages and limitations in terms of reliability, validity and accuracy and thus its own ability to uncover ‘non-obvious’
dimensions of designers’ information behaviour. The limitations of each method used will be discussed in detail in Chapters Four, Five, Six and Seven. Goodman et al. (2006) argue that using a convergent approach as such allows cross-checking of findings, improves the balance between advantages and disadvantages of various studies and methods of designers’ information behaviour research, and avoids favouring any one interpretation by providing multiple views at different levels of objectivity. In line with this, two predominantly different methods in terms of level of objectivity are particularly adopted, including observation and self-reporting. The designing of the research methodology is composed of three key phases including ‘outlining the initial framework’, ‘revising + evaluating + detailing the initial framework’ and finally the ‘presentation of the final framework’. Figure 3.5 presents the schematic research methodology adopted by this thesis.
66
Figure 3.5 Research methodology in this research
3.3.1 Outlining the initial framework
The key aim of this research was to provide a better understanding of information behaviour in design, leading to a systematic way to address the key dimensions of information used in a design process, aiming to facilitate investigation, analysis and reflection on designers’ use and requirements of information. Due to scarce existing knowledge on information behaviour in design, it was difficult to start with any measurable criteria or structure for studying designers’ information behaviour. Therefore the research started with analysis and synthesis of literature in two fields, i.e. library and information sciences, and design, aimed at identification of such a structure. Literature analysis (Section 2.7) highlighted a lack of a holistic and systematic understanding of information behaviour in the field of design and the need for theory-supported comprehensive structures for study of information-related dimensions in design. Thus, in an integrative approach and through analysis and synthesis of relevant literature, an initial information framework was outlined.
Also, based on the literature review, the research focused specifically on ‘people Interview
study
Observation Study I
Observation Study II
Survey study