Abstract:

Literature reviews indicate that knowledge of research has became important in undergraduate studies, in order for designers to stand out in the competitive creative industry and/or to persist in the challenges of graduate study. This study therefore, seeks to understand the nature of design research from the undergraduate level. The main objective is to provide constructive recommendation for enhancing the teaching of design research in visual communication undergraduate programme.

This study uses phenomenography method as the basis of its research design, to identify and describe how undergraduate students experience, understand and conceive design research when they perform it. According to Phenomenographers, Ference Marton and Shirley Booth, the focus of a phenomenographic study regards the description of the relationship between people and a phenomenon. As a result, four qualitatively different conceptions of design research were identified: Conception A: Process-focused Experience; Conception B: Knowledge and Skills focused Experience; Conception C: Social-focused Experience; and Conception D: Transformation-focused Experience. This paper will discuss in detail the research process, the analysis process, the outcome space, the findings, as well as the list of recommendation for enhancing design research in visual communication undergraduate programme.

Keywords:

Phenomenography, Visual Communication, Undergraduate Education, Design Research.