1.
Five Steps To a Great Design Thesis 2.0
1 2 3 4 5
research
discover strategize
strategize develop
develop document
document share
Michael Eckersley, PhD

2.
Intro
The master’s thesis is a product of research, analysis, and creative synthesis. It’s purpose is
to document your research on a subject of some relevance to your field, and to communicate
those insights, understandings, and original ideas that resulted from your study. Your MA in
Design thesis at KU may take the form of a traditional scholarly paper, or a well documented
design project. As the culmination of your master’s study, the thesis should should be
substantial. It should matter both to you and to your chosen field of study.
You can think of your thesis, itself, as a design problem. Take the lead of Professor Vijay
Kumar in his characterization of integrative or “design thinking”:
• Start from the point of people’s needs and experiences.
• Think in relation to the system, not just the product or experience.
• Use a disciplined process to study the context of what’s going on, identifying patterns and
frameworks, generating ideas, modeling solutions, validating the solution by prototyping,
testing.
This is your study. You will have the support of a faculty thesis committee to help. Enjoy this
unique opportunity of doing something meaningful and original.
– Michael Eckersley
Professor
September 2012
Thesis research

3.
1
sources
Research & Discover
Bill Lucas on “Looking with
Explore a problem or opportunity of care” http://vimeo.com/
12917849
relevance to you or the industry you
desire to work in. Look for insights
and ideas in the needs, wants, and
aspirations of people.
Tips: “Design Research: Methods &
Perspectives”, Laurel
• Explore subjects you have some familiarity with, or
can gain familiarity with.
• Identify issues or problems relevant to your field.
• Consider your topic in the context of what kind of
work you want to do in the future.
• You can start your exploration anytime; you
needn’t wait to take ADS 890 or ADS 861 “A Designer's Research
Manual: Succeed in Design by
Knowing Your Clients and What
They Really Need”, O'Grady
research strategize develop document share
Thesis research

4.
2
sources
Strategize
Examine promising subjects and frame
each in a manner you can effectively Jeremy Alexis on Problem Framing
www.vimeo.com/21770257
address. Your selected subject should
be drafted into a good, tight proposal,
and submitted to your committee for
feedback & approval. Thesis Proposal Outline
https://docs.google.com/viewer?
a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B36lum-
Tip: What makes for a great thesis subject? QNuqxMTA5OGEyZDMtN2U5Yi00YmI3LWE2MmMtZG
IxNTAwNDIyZjE3&hl=en_US
Score your ideas using the questions below: Sample thesis proposals:
1.Is the topic, or my approach to it, original? (1 low --- 5 high) Ricarda Miller
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B36lum-
2.Is it practically doable? (1 low --- 5 high) QNuqxMzJiYzdkYTMtOTExYy00MGM3LTk4MjAtYT
E5NGI1YThmMjRj
3.Does it create new value? (1 low --- 5 high)
4.Could the outcome make a difference for people? (1 low --- 5 high) Georgette Sullivan
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B36lum-
5.Does it pertain and contribute to my field? (1 low --- 5 high) QNuqxNjIzNDg4Y2QtMzgzMC00N2MxLWJjZjAt
MzkyNmU5NDNhMmMz
6.Could it help advance my career? (1 low --- 5 high)
7.Am I passionate about it? (1 low --- 5 high)
Brian Smith
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B36lum-
QNuqxdldtYS1XdkJVWHc
research strategize develop document share
Thesis research

5.
3
sources
Develop
Your proposal green-lighted? Great, Ideo techniques...
http://www.ideo.com/work/
now do the thing you proposed! ideo-method-card-app/
Research, analyze, problem-solve,
create. Test your ideas and validate
your design. Can prototype elicit
Strategy approaches...
good feedback from your target www.brainsbehaviora
nddesign.com/
audience? Can you iterate it and
improve it?
Tips:
• There are lots of research methods and techniques
available for you to develop your insights and
ideas. Think prototype...
• Visually represent your insights and design ideas http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=_5FGeSQ7DBU&feature=related
with models, maps, storyboards, scenarios, etc.
research strategize develop document share
Thesis research

6.
sources
4 Document
Produce the actual thesis documents
describing your discoveries, insights,
ideas, or assertions clearly and
searchable database of
graduate theses &
dissertations
http://www2.lib.ku.edu:2048/login?url=http://
search.proquest.com/pqdtft?accountid=14556
succinctly.
Tips:
• You’ll need to prepare a presentation of your thesis, so
start constructing a deck.
• Outline, draft, iterate, and improve your docs. Get
feedback; use your committee. Graduate School thesis
• If you’re doing a thesis project, your presentation guidelines
deck you will need to draft a short document to http://www.graduate.ku.edu/-
accompany your deck. See Grad School guidelines downloads/ETD/ETD%20Thesis
%20Guidelines_10.22.10.pdf
below*
• Review Purdue’s APA formatting resource: http://
owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
research strategize develop document share
Thesis research

7.
5 Report & Share
Now share the results of your work
by presenting your thesis to your
www.graduate.ku.edu/04-02_etd.shtml
committee. Disseminating and
sharing your work is key to the
purpose of graduate school.
Tips:
• Schedule your thesis presentation with your
committee. Notify Grad Program Director of your
intent
• Apply for graduation. Check with Grad School for
deadlines, etc.
• Publish a professional article or give a talk at a
professional conference.
research strategize develop document share
Thesis research

8.
Sample MA Design Management Theses 2008-12
“Squirrel:
A
Community-­Directed
Approach
To
Investing”,
by
Brian
Smith
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B36lum-­‐QNuqxcjNvUXBjU2hUanF0R2ppbDNKMW55dw
!
“Reducing
Wrong
Way
Driving
Events”
by
Chris
Simon
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B36lum-­‐
QNuqxZjJhMGIzZjUtMTU4YS00YTk2LTg2NGUtNjc0MDk4NzIxMzBh
“Creative
Operations
Management
System”,
by
Ryan
Hembree
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B36lum-­‐QNuqxaTdrZ29jNUNUVE9qUm5kYkRheHA0dw
!
“Using
Design
to
Facilitate
Personal
Engagement
in
a
Church
Community:
A
Service
Design
Approach”,
by
Randall
Blair
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B36lum-­‐QNuqxd0hjMFpRUVlUZHliMHVSbHpmZDNjUQ
!
“Punto.
Design
Training
Center
for
Small-­Sized
Business
Owners
and
Entrepreneurs
in
the
Central
American
Region”,
by
Maria
Jose
Misalem
!
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B36lum-­‐QNuqxZ3dFZnp5Q3hSNE9qNzZTd3lqRkFLUQ
http://prezi.com/r8sl14y-­‐sb5h/majos-­‐thesis-­‐project-­‐punto/
Thesis research

9.
Sample MA Interaction Design Theses 2008-11
“An
Integrated
Network
Performance
and
Capacity
Planning
Tool
Suite
(CTS):
One
Tool
to
Do
It
All”,
by
Angel
Stahl
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B36lum-­‐QNuqxX0RyRmFnc1JRVENNcktXWk5VRWRpUQ
!
“Virtual
Family
Social
Network:
Designing
a
contextually
aware
and
surfacing
computing
system
to
increase
awareness,
engagement,
connectivity
and
organizations
of
families”,
by
Georgette
Sullivan
! https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B36lum-­‐QNuqxSnNLRGlyVVlTdzI3UTdsWEVuUEpFUQ
“Canect:
Matching
The
Best-­Fit
Translation
Service”,
by
Yujie
Guo
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B36lum-­‐QNuqxUDdyY0JuelFRbVdVdjhjVFRMYy1SQQ
! http://prezi.com/4qakgfo-­‐ycib/thesis-­‐presentation/?auth_key=43241d76434cf74c13695ab57e35ad7dfd0cf47c
"An
Activity-­Centered
Design
Perspective
For
The
Creation
of
Museum
Exhibits”,
by
Morgan
Shortle
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B36lum-­‐QNuqxLVBxUTN6eUJRWWlfZWhDZzkzem91dw
!
Thesis research