Rigour and practice-based research

Abstract

The article addresses the criterion of rigor in the context of practice-based design. The authors propose to examine the problem of rigor in design research as illustrative of the more general problem of whether design research needs to have special conditions or criteria applied to it. As a result of merger of polytechnics with universities in Great Britain in 1992, the criteria of what constituted research in any subject was opened to discussion and debate. Furthermore, various views have also arisen on what are the defining criteria of academic research in the design practice area. In the end, the practitioner has to demonstrate the validity of a particular method to deliver research solution.