Creating translational knowledge: the role of visual communication design and prototyping methods in the research process

This paper explores the role visual prototyping by visual communication designers can play in the navigation and communication of textile design research. Typically, visual communication is only applied to dissemination of research activities – which happens at the end of a project. The authors argue that visual communication has more to offer when it is included as core element of the research process supported by visual prototyping. Using an illustrative case study of the Bio-Inspired Textile research project at University of the Arts London in collaboration with students from the Graduate Diploma Graphic Design course, the authors discuss how this was explored in practice and the benefits of such an approach. Here the project was conducted between textile design researchers and graphic design students who took on a student-as-researcher role. The Bio-Inspired Textiles research explores how eight different structures found in nature can be applied by textile designers. The communication designers were asked to explore these structures and communicate them through physical and digital typographical prototypes. Using an after-action review method, the paper discusses the insights of the project from both researchers and student perspectives. The authors conclude that visual communication designers can play a vital role within a research process and their methods, such as prototyping, enables the creation of new translational knowledge and its application into design practice.