Bruce Hanington, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, and Bella Martin, 2004 MDes CPID alumna, have published a new book, Universal Methods of Design: 100 Ways to Research Complex Problems, Develop Innovative Ideas, and Design Effective Solutions. The book features contributions from a large number of School of Design faculty, students, and alumni.

This comprehensive reference provides a thorough and critical presentation of 100 research methods, synthesis/analysis techniques, and research deliverables for human centered design, delivered in a concise and accessible format perfect for designers, educators, and students. Whether research is already an integral part of a practice or curriculum, or whether it has been unfortunately avoided due to perceived limitations of time, knowledge, or resources, Universal Methods of Design serves as an invaluable compendium of methods that can be easily referenced and utilized by cross-disciplinary teams in nearly any design project.

This essential guide:

• Dismantles the myth that user research methods are complicated, expensive, and time-consuming
• Creates a shared meaning for cross-disciplinary design team
• Illustrates methods with compelling visualizations and case studies
• Characterizes each method at a glance
• Indicates when methods are best employed to help prioritize appropriate design research strategies

Universal Methods of Design distills each method down to its most powerful essence, in a format that will help design teams select and implement the most credible research methods best suited to their design culture within the constraints of their projects.

The book is available on Amazon.