Design is a pervasive and inseparable element of everything we do, every day of our lives.

Design (and design research) comes into play in creating novel and everyday items in the products we use; in the places we live, work, play and travel through; in the provision of safe and affordable housing, sustainable buildings and communities; in helping us navigate through real and digital environments, make informed decisions, and envision and create alternative futures.

Design research informs the quality of our experience, whether that is defined by ease of use, legibility, information content, aesthetics, safety, sense of place, productivity, environmental impact, effectiveness, or any number of other descriptors.

Design itself is also an investigative process that differs in a number of ways from more familiar laboratory or other research approaches.

Research in the College of Design reflects the diversity within the college and in the design of products, materials, building and landscape systems, and communities and regions. Faculty, students and staff work on a wide array of efforts to improve the quality of our interactions with our world through research to improve the performance of these places.