Ways to a
Study Proposal
Prof.dr.ir. Taeke M. de Jong
Classical empirical research
proposals
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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 10 000 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
determined
determined Design Research
variable
Typological research
CONTEXT
Empirical research
Study by design
variable OBJECT
Design Study
Study by design
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
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ACCOUNTS
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
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
http://team.bk.tudelft.nl > Publications 2004
Grain and impacts of your study
http://team.bk.tudelft.nl > Publications 2004
Desired impacts of your study
http://team.bk.tudelft.nl > Publications 2004
How to judge these impacts
without future context?
http://team.bk.tudelft.nl > Publications 2004
Changing context changes impacts
http://team.bk.tudelft.nl > Publications 2004
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
Field of problems and aims
• Problems: probable, but not desirable futures
• Aims: desirable, but not probable futures
How to limitate, concentrate
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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
3
ACCOUNTS
3.1. Meeting criteria for a study proposal
3.2. References
3.3. Key words