Presenting Design Research

When presenting the research that you have conducted for a design brief, how do you all present your findings?

Does anybody have any examples they can share with us all?

Start by thinking about what parts of your research are actionable and create tangible value for your client. Those are your recommendations. Build an argument supporting them with (as few) words (as possible, while still providing enough detail), pictures (that communicate your message), and visually presented data (that supports your recommendations). Put it in a .pdf or powerpoint presentation. Your client is going to construct a value proposition from this, so try not to think of it as art, so much as it is a report. The only thing that matters, is that to your client, your case is very compelling.

If there are other interesting (but not that important/essential) findings, save them for an appendix. You should also capture your raw data, methodology, etc, in appendixes so it is there if they want to refer to it, but it doesn’t dilute what you’re getting at.

the nature of the question tells me you are not a design student/professional.
The portfolios available on Coroflot will have excellent examples of visual presentations of design research, but these may not be most appropriate to your needs.
Perhaps if you tell us a bit about yourself and the project we can give you better guidance.

I am in my first year studying Industrial Design at Coventry University.

I was wondering how I would go about putting my research together, as I understand that a written report is simply going to bore the pants of anybody! The breif requires us to design something for 2025, (hence one of my other forum posts) and for this particular brief I have chosen to design a range of products for food preperation, the way in which food is consumed etc. that will also represent the technological, demographic, and social changes that will happen between now and 2025.

Hope this sheds some more light on more question!

Ok, 2nd semester. Your proffessor should have lots of criteria and direction and ultimately he/she is your only client that needs to be satisfied with the result.
My advice is keep it simple, don’t be tempted to show every bit of info or image you collected.
Use the 80/20 rule. 80% of the value comes from 20% of the content. (80/20 applies to just about everything you’ll find.)

Thanks for the advice.

Our lecturer has not really told us what he is expecting in terms of level of the research, and how in-depth it should be, but with all design, if it is to be successful and work, then the research must be there to prove it.

You have to frame your research…

-What did you seek to learn?
-What methods did you use?
-What did you learn?
-This is my response/ model/ rendering/ animation/ design/ innovation/ outside the box solution based on what I learned.

There are tons of good examples on Coroflot, also check out the case studies on design consultancy websites.

Our lecturer has not really told us what he is expecting in terms of level of the research, and how in-depth it should be …

A friend once said, “You have to take your education into your own hands.”

Remember, You are paying for your education, expect more from your employees … instructors. If you are unclear on your lecturer’s expectations ask for clarification. In fact, demand it; respectfully of course. You and your mates shouldn’t be left guessing what you are supposed to do, you are spending hard-earned money to receive an education.

Just because one is employed in academia doesn’t necessarily mean they know their arse from a flat rock … assume nothing. :wink:

I never present design research findings as pure research. I always show how they could inform product concepts, at least on a light level to show a hypothesis, and then use pieces of the research to frame that hypothesis. I also try to make it as immersive as possible, videos, large posters of quotes from ethno participants, artifacts… build a world for design solutions to live in.

Thanks, that has given me a few ideas, in terms of using quotes etc. I think that will make my research really interesting and a hopefully a little different to the rest of my colleagues!

You are welcome. Something I always keep in mind is that data is nothing without a layer of meaning (interpretation) and meaning is nothing if there is not actionable outcome. As such I always show what the potential actionable outcome and the meaning behind it, then back that up with data. In essesnse I begin with the end.