Ways to a Study Proposal Prof.dr.ir. Taeke M. de Jong

Classical empirical research proposals problem statement (problem isolation) clear aim reference starting points hypothesis variables data method content publish

Design related study can not isolate problems from a coherent field of problems brings aims together in a field of aims, a concept has many references, not only written text but especially images: forms, types, models, concepts, programmes has many starting points has designs as hypothesis stating: “This will work” has many context variables (“parameters”) while the object still varies in your head has many ways to study (in a book with key words) content grows drawing, calculating and writing publishes with the medium as a message

Design related study or empirical research Research produces probabilities by causes Design produces possibilities by conditions

Ways to Study and Research urban, architectural and technical design CONTENTS Introduction A.Naming and describing B.Design research and typology C.Evaluating D.Modelling E.Programming and optimising F.Technical Study G.Design Study H.Study by design Epilogue Study by design Empirical research

Ideal contents of a design related Study Proposal 1.OBJECT OF STUDY AND ITS CONTEXT 2.MY STUDY PROPOSAL 3.ACCOUNTS

1 OBJECT OF MY STUDY AND ITS CONTEXT 1.1. Object of my study 1.2. Probable future context: field of problems 1.3. Desired impacts of my study: field of aims 1.4. My designerly references: field of means 1.5. My portfolio and perspective: field of abilities

2 MY STUDY PROPOSAL 2.1. Location and|or other future context factors 2.2. Motivation and|or programme of requirements 2.3. Intended results, contributions and planning

3ACCOUNTS 3.1. Meeting criteria for a study proposal 3.2. References 3.3. Key words

Criteria for a study proposal A.Affinity with designing B.University latitude C.Concept formation and transferability D.Retrievability and accumulating capacity E.Methodical accountability and depth F.Ability to be criticised and to criticise G.Convergence and limitations

B University latitude Specify: Supposed context and Perspective Readable impacts (intended and not intended) Actors

C Concept formation and transferability Read Chapter 4, 42, 43 and 44 of Ways to Study Use key words Try to define them Make self-evident conditional and causal connections explicit Avoid scale falsification and overlap Differentiate between desirable, possible and probable concepts Use images Choose themes for legends

D Retrievability and accumulating capacity Read Ways chapter 5 Referring to other authors Making your own bibliography Making your own publication retrievable By (syntactic) key words By your own website

E Methodical accountability and depth Read Ways to study What kind of methods do you refuse What kind of methods do you accept How would you like to use them?

F Ability to be criticised and to criticise Do not hide your weakness Do not use self-evident statements but Bold ones Doubt existing statements

G Convergence and limitations How long are you going to diverge When are you going to converge? Which relation has the object to the University study portfolio?

1 OBJECT OF MY STUDY AND ITS CONTEXT 1.1. Object of my study: frame and grain 1.2. Probable future context: field of problems 1.3. Desired impacts of my study: field of aims 1.4. My designerly references: field of means 1.5. My portfolio and perspective: field of abilities

Context sensitivity of our design object Preface by Rector Fokkema Within the range of a technical university the object of design – in terms of (urban) architecture and technique – is the design subject that is amongst all others most sensitive to context. The programme of requirements is not only derived from an economical and technical context, but also from contexts hailing from political, cultural, ecological en spatial considerations; on many levels of scale.

How to handle context

Explicit future context protects your study against judgements with other suppositions about the future context raises the debate about the robustness of your study in different future contexts makes your study comparable to other studies in comparable contexts raises a ‘field of problems’ instead of an isolated ‘problem statement’ by subtracting desirable futures from the probable ones

Explicit impacts within that context indicate actors and specialists to join the team or take into account imply a societal and personal relevance or fascination imply a field of aims imply actors willing to finance your study could produce a programme of requirements before you have a precise study proposal !

Subtracting futures Field of problems = Probable - Desirable Field of Aims = Desirable - Probable

Limit your object of study by scale > Publications 2004

Grain and impacts of your study > Publications 2004

Desired impacts of your study > Publications 2004

How to judge these impacts without future context? > Publications 2004

Changing context changes impacts > Publications 2004

Changing perspective

Subtracting futures Field of problems = Probable - Desirable Field of Aims = Desirable - Probable

2 MY STUDY PROPOSAL 2.1. Location and|or other future context factors 2.2. Motivation and|or programme of requirements 2.3. Intended results, contributions and planning

Probable futures There are more and less probable futures

Probability  chance

Possible futures Anything probable is per definition possible but not everything possible is also probable. The probable future could be predicted. The improbable possibilities cannot be predicted. You only can explore them by design.

Possibility Not every condition is a cause, but every cause is a condition for something to happen

Desirable futures Ir. Drs. Mr.

Obvious and impossible futures

Problems and aims

Undesired, improbable possibilities Are they relevant as long as nobody wants them?

Unexpected inventions Yes

Changing desires

Field of problems and aims Problems: probable, but not desirable futures Aims: desirable, but not probable futures

How to limitate, concentrate give way to fascinations (motivated concentrations) choose a scale (frame and grain) before an object publish your portfolio evaluating it as field of abilities decide to improve or to extend them in your proposal publish images that fascinate you as a field of means look at them as a professional: which concepts, types, models programmes could you harvest? make your assumptions about the future explicit imagine the impacts your study could have cash your dreams

3ACCOUNTS 3.1. Meeting criteria for a study proposal 3.2. References 3.3. Key words