Design Research Methods:
Wicked Problems"
Professor Teal Triggs!
John Heskett (2002) Design: A Very Short Introduction.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.!
What is design?"
‘’…design, stripped to its essence, can be defined
as the human capacity to shape and make our
environment in ways without precedent in nature,
to serve our needs and give meaning to our
lives.’ (Heskett, 2002)!
Christopher Crouch and Jane Pearce (2012)
Doing Research in Design. London: Berg.!
What is design research?"
‘Design research is the investigation of how
materials, ideas and systems operate and intersect
in the process and objects established by
design.’ (Crouch & Pearce, 2012)!
Ted Cadsby (2011)
‘The Wickedness Behind Most 21st-Century Leadership Failures. Harvard
Business Review Blog http://blogs.hbr.org/!
What is the role of design research in an "
ever- increasing complex world?"
‘…But we are now living in a world where
multivariate and non-linear causal connections
hide below the surface of our immediate
perceptions, and diverge to different possible
interpretations.’ (Cadsby, 2011)!
Richard	
  Buchanan	
  (1992)	
  ‘Wicked	
  Problems	
  in	
  Design	
  Thinking’	
  	
  
Design	
  Issues	
  Vol	
  VIII,	
  Number	
  2	
  Spring,	
  pp.	
  5-­‐21.	
  
Wicked Problems "
‘…class of social system problems which are ill-
formulated, where the information is confusing,
where there are many clients and decision makers
with conflicting values, and where the ramifications
in the whole system are thoroughly confusing.’!
- Horst Rittel, 1960s!
Wicked Problem: Mumbai landfill!

Design Research Methods: Wicked Problems

  • 1.
    Design Research Methods: WickedProblems" Professor Teal Triggs!
  • 2.
    John Heskett (2002)Design: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.! What is design?" ‘’…design, stripped to its essence, can be defined as the human capacity to shape and make our environment in ways without precedent in nature, to serve our needs and give meaning to our lives.’ (Heskett, 2002)!
  • 3.
    Christopher Crouch andJane Pearce (2012) Doing Research in Design. London: Berg.! What is design research?" ‘Design research is the investigation of how materials, ideas and systems operate and intersect in the process and objects established by design.’ (Crouch & Pearce, 2012)!
  • 4.
    Ted Cadsby (2011) ‘TheWickedness Behind Most 21st-Century Leadership Failures. Harvard Business Review Blog http://blogs.hbr.org/! What is the role of design research in an " ever- increasing complex world?" ‘…But we are now living in a world where multivariate and non-linear causal connections hide below the surface of our immediate perceptions, and diverge to different possible interpretations.’ (Cadsby, 2011)!
  • 5.
    Richard  Buchanan  (1992)  ‘Wicked  Problems  in  Design  Thinking’     Design  Issues  Vol  VIII,  Number  2  Spring,  pp.  5-­‐21.   Wicked Problems " ‘…class of social system problems which are ill- formulated, where the information is confusing, where there are many clients and decision makers with conflicting values, and where the ramifications in the whole system are thoroughly confusing.’! - Horst Rittel, 1960s!
  • 6.