What is Information Behaviour in Design? A Novel Set of Information Dimensions

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research addresses lack of a holistic and rigorous understanding of designers' information behaviour, through outlining seven dimensions for investigation, analysis, and capture of designers' use and requirements of information within the design process. ‘Practicing designers’ and ‘people information’ are focussed upon. Four initial information dimensions are outlined through literature analysis and synthesis in Information sciences and Design. These are iteratively evaluated, refined, and detailed through four empirical studies i.e. interview and questionnaire administered to design companies (N = 9); observation of a design team in a real-world design project (N = 5); observation of three teams throughout a design competition (N = 22); and a survey of designers and design researchers (N = 89). A novel set of information dimensions is synthesized including ‘Purpose’, ‘Source’, ‘Format’, ‘Content’, ‘Attributes’, ‘Stage’ and ‘Intensity’. Furthermore, practicing designers' people information behaviour is detailed using these seven dimensions. Findings both enhance theoretical understanding of information behaviour in design, and provide new empirical data on designerly information behaviour.

Keywords:

• information behaviour
• practicing designer
• designerly
• design information
• people information
• information dimension
• design research
• design practice

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplemental Data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1080/14606925.2020.1809894.

Notes

1 ‘Visual & audio’ includes: info-graphics, photographic records, video, audio-oral

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Farnaz Nickpour

Dr Farnaz Nickpour is a Reader in Inclusive Design & Human Centred Innovation at The University of Liverpool, and the leader of The Inclusionaries Lab in the UK. Her work explores critical and contemporary dimensions of design for inclusion and human centred innovation, with a core focus on Healthcare and Mobility sectors.