DES 409 - Design Project Research and Production I


Description: Definition of a capstone design studio project, mixed-method research planning, and evidence-based requirements defined with measurable acceptance criteria. Students scope schedules, map applicable standards, construct project architecture, plan for accessibility constraints, and defend their research proposal in a formal presentation.

Prerequisites: DES 306 and DES 307

Credits: 3
Lecture: 1
Lab: 6

Course Content:
  1. Framing an appropriate research problem to solve
  2. Visual research
  3. Stakeholder and user research methods
  4. Competitive analysis
  5. Comparative analysis
  6. Feasibility assessment
  7. Requirements definition and success criteria
  8. Ethical considerations and compliance
  9. Project plan, scope, and milestones
  10. Research synthesis and concept direction
  11. Historical and contemporary references
  12. Critique

Learning Outcomes:
  1. Define a capstone problem with stakeholders, scope, constraints, and success metrics. (1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11)
  2. Develop deliverables through iterative refinement. (2, 10, 12)
  3. Construct a mixed-method research plan (competitive, user, technical, compliance). (3, 4, 5, 6, 8)
  4. Elicit requirements from findings and translate them into measurable acceptance criteria. (7, 10)
  5. Plan schedules, risks, and resource needs for production execution. (9)
  6. Map accessibility, packaging, or technical standards applicable to the project. (8, 6)
  7. Substantiate the proposed approach in a formal research proposal/defense. (10)
  8. Critique peer work using discipline-specific terminology to propose revisions. (12)


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