Design as Research

One of the major findings of this study is the fact that the design of presence relates to the design of trust in social interaction. Trust is a qualifying factor in social interaction. The last few years have seen the formation of specific interdisciplinary research groups that are concerned with the issue of trust. Research into trust encompasses many fields of application. I hope that the findings in this study may inspire further research into the relationship between presence and trust.

Presence and the Design of Trust is also a material contribution to the field of design research. In design research, disciplines like art history, industrial design, architecture, cognitive psychology, human computer interaction, cultural studies and communication research all contribute in order to facilitate a more informed and more elaborate practice of design. Design is a broad term used to cover many things. This study focuses on the design practice of technology. In every period of social change new design evolves and new technologies also create new design. Design is an actor as well as a reflector of the society in which it functions. It operates on many levels, from global industrial business to the personal lives of people. Design as a practice can be understood as the conscious creation of an experience for other people by making things and/or by structuring processes. As will become clear in the section below, the field of design research is where this study discovered its source of inspiration and it hopes to make a reciprocal contribution to that field.