Design research has come of age. In this course, students will learn the AEIOU Method of Design Observation and Research. Students will gain observation skills that translate to any design discipline to improve design briefs, user experience, and design methodologies.

Hundreds of papers and books have been written about its importance, and how, when, why, and by whom it should be done. Organizations, and not just innovation consultancies, have adopted it, hired researchers to plan, implement and execute it, and consider it part of their product development process. Schools, and not just the method and process-oriented ones (IIT ID, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon, University of Toronto) are teaching it, and not just at the graduate level.