Empirical design research
Design research for us starts with a set of guiding questions:
Which action framework will structure the inquiry? Which materials, technologies, experiences, and usage contexts must be taken into account? Which partners (academic, industrial, civic) are required to realise a broader societal impact?
In other words, we intentionally shape research‑development environments that enable responsible, sustainable outcomes.
© TUD
Design research for sustainability transformation
Insight and knowledge, no matter how sophisticated the underlying technology, do not by themselves change behaviour. A successful sustainability transition therefore depends on two complementary conditions: the acceptance of novel innovations and the motivation to employ them in everyday practice. Accordingly, we centre our research on relationships. On the one hand we examine how users relate to artefacts, processes and socio‑technical systems; on the other hand we investigate the network of relationships among stakeholders that is required for multi‑perspective, co‑creative solutions.
Resilience and impact function as leitmotifs that guide our integrated development approach, both for the Chair and for the broader research programme. Building on short‑term, incremental and project‑driven activities, we are expanding toward long‑term, transformative, holistic, and visionary planning. This shift raises two strategic questions: where do we identify untapped potential for new developments, and how can we actively shape those opportunities to generate sustainable outcomes?