A profession in transition: practitioners' research engagement in the Australian communication design field

As graphic designers undertake increasingly complex projects, they are being encouraged to use research to produce better design outcomes. In this national study, perceptions were collected from design practitioners and academics to evaluate how and why Australian graphic designers conduct and read research. Dr Fisher found that while engaging with research is likely to become more common and designers typically considered it to be important, research engagement is presently low due to complex interrelated factors. The findings highlight the need to develop research engagement methods that are truly relevant, practical and effective for improving design outcomes.