Facing the future: postgraduate research in communication design

Guest editing the new themed journal issue: Facing the future: postgraduate research in communication design:

Whilst design research is gaining in recognition as an established and fertile area of study, the emergence of specialist research degrees in communication/graphic design are still relatively rare. The role of the designer-researcher is still under scrutiny, and so too is the field. How far is there left to travel before the field can be considered a 'discipline'? What are the preconditions for this discipline to exist? Is the drawing of boundaries necessary in the first place?

Whilst interdisciplinarity has played a significant role in the development of communication design research, does this also suggest the loss of an identifiable 'core'? What are the advantages or disadvantages of interdisciplinary research? What are the 'fresh' or innovative research methods that are being explored in communication design, and how might they be applied to professional practice? How might communication design research situate itself within the academy at a time when the academy is going through such enormous change?

Finally, with the popularity of other modes of research - including practice-based and practice-led PhDs - is the idea of the traditional written thesis becoming a thing of the past? Is the digital presentation of work (with hypertext links, etc.) a potential way forward? Should communication designers be required to pay more attention to the visual presentation of their thesis? Papers are encouraged from postgraduate (e.g. MA, MFA, MRes, MDes courses) and research degrees students (e.g. MPhil, PhD, Professional Doctorates) whose core research is related to communication/graphic design as well as supervisors and design practitioners.

Iridescent: Icograda Journal of Design Research is a peer-reviewed online journal, inviting researchers and scholars world-wide to submit papers and essays for publication on site. The aim of the journal is not only to select high quality research and make it available for a broad international audience, but to establish a benchmark for design research in the process.

Iridescent was established in keeping with Icograda's strategic aim to support the development of communication design education (theory, practice, and research). It is an online international research journal advancing Icograda's goals and objectives, fulfilling the vision of the Icograda Design Education Manifesto.

The objectives of Iridescent:
- To offer an international peer-reviewed publishing platform for innovative research with a specific focus on issues of relevance to contemporary communication design and curriculum development; To promote research that advances Icograda's aims and objectives; To facilitate collaboration between professional associations, promotional bodies, corporate members and education institutions within the Icograda network.

Whilst it is a new publication, its outreach is international in scope. This is two-year appointment as guest editor for Teal Triggs.

• http://iridescent.icograda.org/
• http://iridescent.icograda.org/submissio...