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× Winter Break:
All Library Facilities & Services CLOSED:
Sat-Wed, 12/21-1/1
Enjoy the holiday!

Sherrill Library will be closed from Dec 19 - Jan 13 due to construction.   Services by Appointment: Research Consultations, Library Instruction, Pick Up appointments

Design Research

Primary Research

Sometimes you can't get all the information you need from secondary research (i.e. researching what other people have written), and you need to create/gather your own information (primary research).  Some types of primary research include:

  • focus groups
  • interviews
  • surveys/questionnaires
  • observation
  • ethnographic research (the study of people in their own environments)
  • self-ethnography

Check out the sources below to learn methods of collecting new information:

Image of book cover: A designer's research manual
Image of book cover of The Pocket Universal Methods of Design
Image of book cover for Design integrations

Designers Discussing the Research Process