Extended Abstract
Background and Objectives: It has been over four decades since design disciplines, especially industrial design, started up in Iran. Particularly in the last two decades, these fields have seen remarkable educational growth, with design programs available in many state and private universities, even up to the doctoral level. In other words, design fields in Iran have developed in line with global trends and should not be considered undeveloped, fledgling, or even scarce. However, initial exploratory studies indicate that design areas, especially in fields like industrial design or fashion design, still suffer from low scientific and research status. This situation highlights shortcomings in policy-making related to design disciplines. One reason for this is that systematic reviews and meta-analyses are essential in any scientific field, as they help assess the current state and guide future planning. However, in the field of design studies in Iran, there is a significant scientific gap. This gap undermines any planning or policy making in design studies, leading to a lack of concrete foundations. To gain a thorough understanding of the scientific status of design studies in Iran, the following question was posed: What is the quantitative and qualitative state of design studies in Iran? Answering this requires a benchmark, leading to the preliminary question of this research: What is the quantitative and qualitative state of design studies globally? To answer these two questions, a set of inquiries was formulated and addressed through various research and study stages.
Methods: This research is a meta-analysis study (based on the PRISMA method). In terms of data nature, this research is qualitative, and regarding data collection methods, it is a documentary research. A grounded theory categorization method was used to classify and analyze the data. After identifying the selected categories, a reasoning-based discussion and conclusion were developed. The research process started with a series of key questions, including: What is the state of design studies globally? What are the main areas and subfields of design studies? What are the statistics on researchers and academic research documents? And, what is the quantity and quality of articles related to design studies in Iranian (Persian-language) journals?
Findings: In this research, we initially identified thirty-three scientific journals in the field of design studies, focusing on the two databases JCR and SJR. Then, a sample of articles from 2010 to 2021 was categorized in detailed tables over three stages. This review indicates the existence of nine core categories, which are: “Design Methodology (Design Cognition),” “Philosophy and Theory of Design,” “Design Education,” “Communication of Design and Form,” “Design and Creativity,” “Specialized-Professional Studies,” “Interactive Design,” “Design Context,” and “History, Critique, and Aesthetics of Design.” In the second step, the research focused on the scientometrics of design studies in Iran, which generally underscores the weak presence of Iranian researchers on the international stage. No reputable specialized journals in Persian were identified; only six scientific journals were found that accept articles in the field of design studies. The findings show that, out of a total of 248 issues from these journals, only 168 articles are related to design studies. Of these, 112 are based on student theses (mostly at the master’s level), which also raises concerns about the quality of the articles.
Conclusion: The discussions around the findings reveal diverse outcomes, including the fact that design studies are experiencing significant growth worldwide, particularly in the UK and the USA. However, even at a global level, certain topics and dimensions of design remain underexplored, such as design economics, design aesthetics, design critique, design history, and traditional design. Overall, it appears that design studies have not seen substantial growth in interdisciplinary dimensions and have yet to establish a distinct discourse, despite being outward-facing. In other words, although design studies are growing globally, compared to other scientific fields, they still face challenges and imbalances across various domains. In analyzing the state of design studies in Iran, a range of information was gathered, revealing significant weaknesses in both quantitative and qualitative dimensions. These include the quantity and scientific structure of the research, the depth and impact of the research content, the lack of support and funding for research, especially from non-university institutions, and the misalignment of research with the country’s scientific, practical, and educational needs. Even in a superficial comparison with other scientific fields and the arts in Iran, design studies are in a notably poor condition.