Abstract
As Industrial Designers handle information within the early stages of the design process they are influenced by the information viewed which is an outcome of the Information Retrieval Systems (IRS) that they utilise. The purpose of this research is to investigate the influences that Information Retrieval Systems such as online Search Engines and Databases have on Industrial Designers’ early searching strategies. The study involves the observation of designers transforming early design language into query ‘keyword’ language for the operation of Information Retrieval Systems and how this transition causes a design direction shift. Findings show a common pattern across the activity of both professional and advanced student designers. Information Retrieval Systems are seen to drive the searching process into ‘specific’, explored domains rather than stimulate an ‘abstract’ broad investigation which is necessary for the discovery of new design possibilities outside what is existing.
Keywords
Information Retrieval Systems, Industrial Design, Searching Strategies
Citation
Francis, C., Bucolo, S., and Popovic, V. (2004) Designers Searching Strategies Influenced by Information Retrieval Systems (IRS) Within the Early Stages of the Industrial Design Process., in Redmond, J., Durling, D. and de Bono, A (eds.), Futureground - DRS International Conference 2004, 17-21 November, Melbourne, Australia. https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conference-papers/drs2004/researchpapers/62
Designers Searching Strategies Influenced by Information Retrieval Systems (IRS) Within the Early Stages of the Industrial Design Process.
As Industrial Designers handle information within the early stages of the design process they are influenced by the information viewed which is an outcome of the Information Retrieval Systems (IRS) that they utilise. The purpose of this research is to investigate the influences that Information Retrieval Systems such as online Search Engines and Databases have on Industrial Designers’ early searching strategies. The study involves the observation of designers transforming early design language into query ‘keyword’ language for the operation of Information Retrieval Systems and how this transition causes a design direction shift. Findings show a common pattern across the activity of both professional and advanced student designers. Information Retrieval Systems are seen to drive the searching process into ‘specific’, explored domains rather than stimulate an ‘abstract’ broad investigation which is necessary for the discovery of new design possibilities outside what is existing.