ADVANCING ENGINEERING DESIGN RESEARCH THROUGH THE USE OF QUALITATIVE AND PARTICIPATORY METHODOLOGIES

Engineering design is social—both in the sense that the process of design requires social interactions and in the sense that the outcomes are embedded into society resulting in direct and indirect social effects. Qualitative and participatory methods equip researchers with approaches to not only expand existing theories but also deepen their scope and understanding of the social considerations in design. As the application of qualitative and participatory methods increase in the Design Theory and Methodology (DTM) community, there is an opportunity to reflect on their use, strengthen their quality, and consider their potential for addressing key design research questions. This paper presents themes from a special session at 2024 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences (IDETC) that included presentations and discussions on the use of qualitative and participatory research methods. Namely, effectively applying methods from other disciplines and increasing the credibility of such methods within DTM were discussed. Panelists and audience members also sparked ideas that led to our paper’s “call to action,” including being more responsible in participant sampling and engagement, increasing industry partnerships, and conducting more intentional training and mentoring across the research community. Ultimately, we encourage a strengthening of DTM research, with a particular focus on the broader social impacts of engineering design.