Form and structure of the doctorate in design: prelude to a multilogue (2014 reprint)

The form and structure of the doctorate in design involves challenges and questions. This includes shaping a common vocabulary, not to agree on every issue, but to understand one another. The issues include the form and structure of the doctorate itself, the form and structure of doctoral programs, and the form and structure of research. This paper identifies eight kinds of doctorates. It examines supervision, advising and administrative support for doctoral students and doctoral programs. It considers the varieties of research we undertake and calls for the higher level study of research methodology. Systematic inquiry will produce a rich overview of questions and issues. This will shape a context for robust solutions. My co-chairman David Durling asked me to prepare a short paper for the conference on the issues of form and structure. This paper attempts a reasonable -- but not comprehensive -- examination of the central questions we must address in developing robust forms and structures for doctoral education in design.