Design Research Dissertation

Teo Mei Hui / 0358315

Research Design Dissertation / Bachelors of Design (Honors) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

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Task 1: Dissertation Draft

In this module, we are tasked to write a dissertation based on our topic and findings from the previous semester's Design Research Methodology module. The contents were required in the dissertation are as stated below:

• Acknowledgments
• Abstract
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables and Figures
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Research Methodology
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Future Project Recommendations
• References
• Appendices

I started the first task by scouring the internet for relevant articles to conduct literature review on, as the 3 articles from the previous semester was not sufficient. I went through a long process of reviewing multiple articles. Then, after I narrowed down to a few that I thought were the most suitable, and started to derive the important points that could relate to my research questions and objectives. The literature matrix was helpful in organizing the different information from various articles, and to find similarities or contradicting ideas.

After I conducted the literature review, I moved on to the remaining parts of the dissertation. Taking the analysis of the my primary research results and being able to relate it to the literature review felt quite fun. As i went through the process of writing 7000 words, my understanding of the topic grew.

Task 2: Visual Publication Design

For Task 2, we had to design a book publication for our dissertation. The process of inserting all the contents into InDesign and adjusting the layout was tedious and not very fun. However, I enjoyed designing the visual elements, and wished I had more time to work on it (can only blame it on my poor time management skills). 

Task 3: Turnitin Report

Honestly wish I could've gotten a lower percentage, maybe I didn't paraphrase enough.

Task 4: Research for Article Publication

For the final task, we were tasked to modify our dissertation into a journal article for KREATE. We had to abbreviate the contents of our dissertation and only focus the key information since there was a 15-page-limit. We also had to make sure that we strictly adhered to the formats of a journal article.

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Feedback

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Reflections

This was the most scholarly module we've had so far. The process of locating good-quality, free, and accessible resources proved to be quite challenging and required considerable effort and patience.

Looking back, I do wish I had chosen a more personally engaging topic from the outset. I believe it would have made the process more enjoyable and motivated me further while writing the dissertation. Despite this, the experience was incredibly valuable, providing me with deeper insights into the field of UI/UX.

Overall, this module taught me the importance of thorough research and critical analysis, which are essential skills in UI/UX design. It was a demanding yet rewarding learning experience that has significantly contributed to my academic and professional growth.