Abstract
Design research and practice deal with many new and underexplored topics that may not have previously been discussed. Yet, many of these topics are still some- what taboo, meaning they can miss out on attention and critical exploration and may not be adequately addressed. This DRS2022 Conversation explored the range of barri- ers faced by design researchers interested in or currently working on taboo topics and how these barriers might be addressed. The report summarizes the discussions during the session, which focused primarily on respectful boundaries and dialogue between researchers and participants. It also highlights key questions and dilemmas facing re- searchers in this area, which remained unanswered during the Conversation. As an example, the report asks: how might design researchers safely conduct projects on especially sensitive topics, such as those with legal restrictions?
Keywords
taboo, design research, research methods, social responsibility
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.819
Citation
Prochner, I. (2022) Supporting design research on taboo topics, in Lockton, D., Lenzi, S., Hekkert, P., Oak, A., Sádaba, J., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2022: Bilbao, 27 June - 3 July, Bilbao, Spain. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2022.819
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Conversations
Included in
Supporting design research on taboo topics
Design research and practice deal with many new and underexplored topics that may not have previously been discussed. Yet, many of these topics are still some- what taboo, meaning they can miss out on attention and critical exploration and may not be adequately addressed. This DRS2022 Conversation explored the range of barri- ers faced by design researchers interested in or currently working on taboo topics and how these barriers might be addressed. The report summarizes the discussions during the session, which focused primarily on respectful boundaries and dialogue between researchers and participants. It also highlights key questions and dilemmas facing re- searchers in this area, which remained unanswered during the Conversation. As an example, the report asks: how might design researchers safely conduct projects on especially sensitive topics, such as those with legal restrictions?