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In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, design was meant to be used as a tool to make products and communications more appealing to the masses, either through beautification or by improved functionality. Things are somewhat different today, and design is increasingly being seen as a strategic resource of broader significance. This has happened due to the introduction of research within the field of design and the willingness of some to look beyond the constraints of their own profession and challenge existing conventions. Nevertheless, for many others, design is still perceived as a kind of ‘mythical gift’ that allows designers to provide creative solutions in a consumer-driven marketplace. While some might find this appealing, the mystique that surrounds the notion of how design works puts into question the accountability, responsibility, and validity of the profession (Swann, 2002: 49; see also Buchanan, 1998: 63–6). Given that design is an interdisciplinary profession aimed at serving different needs, designers are now expected to work in multi-disciplinary teams whose nature and consistency changes according to the nature of the projects. Also, in order to progress higher within their profession, or within other corporate echelons, designers will need to demonstrate higher integrative skills. This means that they will need to learn more things than they once had to in order to remain competitive and in demand (Friedman, 2012: 144). The difference between design education today and design education over the past century is that now, in a post-industrial economy, designers are expected to replace the old ways of working based on common sense, trial-and-error, and personal experience, with new ones based on strategy modelling, simulations, decision theory, and systems thinking (Friedman, 2012: 149). Therefore, in order for designers to work successfully in increasingly complex environments and contemporary economies, in addition to their general technical skills they will also need to gain a range of new research skills – hence the need for new knowledge that can transcend disciplines. Cross-disciplinary research comes in many forms, ranging from quantitative market research to personal interviews, experimental design analysis, and qualitative research. The great benefit of cross-disciplinary research is that it can help designers to gain a keen understanding of various phenomena, people, cultures, and belief systems – and this kind of knowledge can be indispensable in the real world. As such, cross-disciplinary research represents a willingness to look beyond the immediate concern of crafting a project, as well as openness towards integrating new insights to both design and industry (see Ireland, 2003; Zimmerman, 2003). For example, cross-disciplinary research can challenge existing assumptions and provide a sound and up-to-date overview of potential business development opportunities. This type of research can provide business entrepreneurs with directions that are often new and important – directions that may not be identified within mono-disciplinary environments (Cooper and Press, 2006). The need for more designers with cross-disciplinary research skills is even more evident if we take into account that a great deal of the corporate research that can be classified as design research is already carried out by experts who were not trained as designers. Google, Microsoft, IBM, HewlettPackard, Intel, and many other large corporations already hire doctoral graduates coming from fields ranging from electrical and software engineering to anthropology and psychology to conduct their research on future products and systems development, and this research is then used in the development of design briefs. This is obviously a downfall for the field of design as designers should be a part of this research and development process (Margolin, 2010) In order for things to change, designers will need explicit, quality education, and experience in research methods. This, however, raises the need for qualified design educators who can teach research methods and guide integrated design projects and strategies, as well as integrate such specialized courses within university design curricula (Hanington, 2010). Currently, there are not many design academics that have such skills, but with universities increasingly demanding that their teaching staff obtain doctoral degrees, things will most certainly begin to change in the near future. As a result, making research an integral component of design education can help create a new generation of designers capable of introducing changes to the practice of design as well. This process is unlikely to happen overnight as the changes within the design curricula will need to be introduced gradually, but evolution of design practice through design education is inevitable (Muratovski, 2011a). In spite of the complexity associated with this type of research, there can be many opportunities for generating new knowledge when researchers with diverse backgrounds begin working in a cross-disciplinary fashion (Aagaard-Hansen, 2007). The challenges and opportunities that I have presented here, albeit in simplified and polarized form, do highlight the need for relevant and innovative cross-disciplinary research within the field of design. Designers who pursue a cross-disciplinary model in their own education will be better equipped to work in complex environments, and in time they can even lead cross-disciplinary teams towards the pursuit of new knowledge (Muratovski, 2011b). Overcoming these challenges is certainly not an easy task, but it is not an impossible one. This book will hopefully introduce you to a number of techniques that can help you to achieve this. SUMMARY In this chapter I have examined design research and its role in the field of design. Here I have touched upon some of the different ways of seeing research within the design context and I have explained the need for adopting a scientific approach to design research. Furthermore, I have considered the potential for developing a model of cross-disciplinary research that can transcend the disciplinary bounds that are inherent in the typical monodisciplinary design practice and research. A review of the literature shows that such a model can be placed within a broader educational framework by bringing interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary ways of working together. The proposed taxonomy highlights the benefits of this model for the advancement of the field of design and suggests the introduction of cross-disciplinary ways of working in design education and research.