Design Research Dissertation: Final Compilation
22/04/2025 – 06/05/2025 (Week 1 – Week 14)
Valerius Ethan Wirawan / 0372774
Publishing Design / Creative Media / School of Design
Design Research Dissertation
TABLE OF CONTENT
1. Instructions
2. Final Outcome
3. Feedback
4. Reflection
1. INSTRUCTIONS
Fig. 1.1. Module Information Booklet (MIB)
2. FINAL OUTCOME
2.1. Task 1: Draft Dissertation
Fig. 2.1.1. Task 1 'Draft Dissertation' Final Outcome
(PDF)
2.2. Task 2: Visual Design
Publication
Fig. 2.2.1. Task 2 'Visual
Design Publication' Final
Outcome (PDF)
Fig. 2.2.1.
Task 2 'Visual
Design
Electronic
Publication
(E-Book)' Final
Outcome
The digital publication can be accessed also through
this link below.
https://online.fliphtml5.com/kjyhda/fezt/
https://online.fliphtml5.com/kjyhda/fezt/
2.3. Task 3: Final Dissertation
Fig. 2.3.1. Task 3 'Final Dissertation'
Final Outcome (PDF)
Fig. 2.3.2. Task 3 'Turn It In Report' Final
Outcome (PDF)
2.4. Task 4: Article Publication
Fig. 2.4.1. Task 4 'Article
Publication' Final Outcome
(PDF)
3. FEEDBACK
Week 1
Items – Tasks to Do:
Module briefing.
Module briefing.
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Module overview was introduced. Understood expectations for dissertation structure and academic writing standards. Initial preparation and planning for the semester were established.
Module overview was introduced. Understood expectations for dissertation structure and academic writing standards. Initial preparation and planning for the semester were established.
Week 2
Items – Tasks to Do:
Topic refinement, early research planning
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Reviewed and clarified the research direction based on lecturer’s notes. Understood that the dissertation must follow academic rigor, strengthen topic justification, and integrate feedback from DRM.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
General guidance on structuring early-stage academic writing and preparing for literature review.
Items – Tasks to Do:
Topic refinement, early research planning
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Reviewed and clarified the research direction based on lecturer’s notes. Understood that the dissertation must follow academic rigor, strengthen topic justification, and integrate feedback from DRM.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
General guidance on structuring early-stage academic writing and preparing for literature review.
Week 3
Items – Tasks to Do:
Poster analysis & early literature review alignment
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Addressed feedback regarding depth of poster analysis. Adjusted interpretations to be more research-driven. Ensured citation practices followed recommended formatting.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Poster interpretation needs stronger visual analysis.
Citations must follow correct formatting.
Expand analytical depth and avoid descriptive writing.
Items – Tasks to Do:
Poster analysis & early literature review alignment
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Addressed feedback regarding depth of poster analysis. Adjusted interpretations to be more research-driven. Ensured citation practices followed recommended formatting.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Poster interpretation needs stronger visual analysis.
Citations must follow correct formatting.
Expand analytical depth and avoid descriptive writing.
Week 4
Items – Tasks to Do:
Literature review improvement
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Revised literature review structure to be more coherent. Ensured that visual analysis content includes contextual explanation. Strengthened theoretical connections.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Improve coherence between sections.
Increase clarity in visual analysis.
Ensure consistent academic tone.
Items – Tasks to Do:
Literature review improvement
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Revised literature review structure to be more coherent. Ensured that visual analysis content includes contextual explanation. Strengthened theoretical connections.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Improve coherence between sections.
Increase clarity in visual analysis.
Ensure consistent academic tone.
Week 5
Items – Tasks to Do:
Research Proposal development
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Developed research proposal components including introduction, background, and rationale. Incorporated lecturer feedback on tone, clarity, and flow.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Strengthen justification of study.
Improve clarity of writing.
Enhance linkage between topic and research problem.
Items – Tasks to Do:
Research Proposal development
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Developed research proposal components including introduction, background, and rationale. Incorporated lecturer feedback on tone, clarity, and flow.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Strengthen justification of study.
Improve clarity of writing.
Enhance linkage between topic and research problem.
Week 6
Items – Tasks to Do:
Critical Review writing
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Expanded the critical review by comparing and synthesizing articles. Ensured consistency in argument flow. Applied lecturer suggestions to avoid descriptive summarizing.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Improve criticality, not just summarizing.
Strengthen cross-article comparisons.
Maintain academic tone.
Items – Tasks to Do:
Critical Review writing
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Expanded the critical review by comparing and synthesizing articles. Ensured consistency in argument flow. Applied lecturer suggestions to avoid descriptive summarizing.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Improve criticality, not just summarizing.
Strengthen cross-article comparisons.
Maintain academic tone.
Week 7
Items – Tasks to Do:
Research Design (Primary Data) drafting
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Designed research approach using survey method aligned with the minimalist coffee packaging topic. Ensured the methodology is justified and supported by academic references.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Clarify research instruments.
Ensure survey questions align with objectives.
Strengthen methodological justification.
Items – Tasks to Do:
Research Design (Primary Data) drafting
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Designed research approach using survey method aligned with the minimalist coffee packaging topic. Ensured the methodology is justified and supported by academic references.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Clarify research instruments.
Ensure survey questions align with objectives.
Strengthen methodological justification.
Week 8
Items – Tasks to Do:
Survey preparation & refinement
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Prepared survey questions and ensured clarity and neutrality. Incorporated feedback on structure and flow.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Ensure questions are unbiased and structured logically.
Verify alignment with research variables.
Items – Tasks to Do:
Survey preparation & refinement
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Prepared survey questions and ensured clarity and neutrality. Incorporated feedback on structure and flow.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Ensure questions are unbiased and structured logically.
Verify alignment with research variables.
Week 9
Items – Tasks to Do:
Survey distribution
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Survey was distributed successfully and reached the required number of respondents. Initial data collection was verified and prepared for organization.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Maintain quality control over collected data.
Ensure demographic balance where possible.
Items – Tasks to Do:
Survey distribution
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Survey was distributed successfully and reached the required number of respondents. Initial data collection was verified and prepared for organization.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Maintain quality control over collected data.
Ensure demographic balance where possible.
Week 10
Items – Tasks to Do:
Research Findings – Initial analysis
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Organized survey results and prepared them for analysis. Ensured accuracy and data clarity.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Present findings in structured format.
Ensure charts and figures are labelled clearly.
Items – Tasks to Do:
Research Findings – Initial analysis
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Organized survey results and prepared them for analysis. Ensured accuracy and data clarity.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Present findings in structured format.
Ensure charts and figures are labelled clearly.
Week 11
Items – Tasks to Do:
Discussion writing
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Compared primary data with literature review findings. Strengthened links between theory and results.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Argumentation is improving.
Continue deepening the analytical discussion.
Discussion writing
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Compared primary data with literature review findings. Strengthened links between theory and results.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Argumentation is improving.
Continue deepening the analytical discussion.
Week 13
Items – Tasks to Do:
Task 4 article and submissions.
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Submitted Task 3 Final Dissertation, feedback for task 4.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Avoid fully copying the original text and instead summarise key points in a more concise discussion.
Items – Tasks to Do:
Task 4 article and submissions.
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
Submitted Task 3 Final Dissertation, feedback for task 4.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Avoid fully copying the original text and instead summarise key points in a more concise discussion.
Revise and replace the current journal article title with a new, more suitable one.Include the affiliation “The Design School, Faculty of Innovation and Technology, Taylor’s University, Malaysia”.
Add your personal email address to the article details.Ensure that the abstract, findings, and conclusion are consistently aligned in terms of focus, key variables, and main outcomes throughout the paper.
Week 14
Items – Tasks to Do:
Task 4 Submission
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
All task are done correctly. Some changes (minor, just for TurnItIn Report) done in google classroom to cover the submission requirements.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Just add the Turn It In Report in Google Classroom, do not worry about the submission date.
Items – Tasks to Do:
Task 4 Submission
Progress Remarks / Action / Reflection:
All task are done correctly. Some changes (minor, just for TurnItIn Report) done in google classroom to cover the submission requirements.
Lecturer’s Remarks:
Just add the Turn It In Report in Google Classroom, do not worry about the submission date.
4. REFLECTION
Experience
Throughout the semester, the process involved constant iteration, refining the literature review subtopics, strengthening the objectivity of the semiotic and visual analyses, justifying the mixed methods approach with academic sources, and progressively developing the e publication layout and cover while also managing practical constraints such as Turnitin and AI detection limits, deadlines from other modules, and ongoing communication with lecturers for clarification and approval.
Observation
The overall progression of the dissertation shows a steady development from understanding the module requirements in Week 1 to completing all written components and visual design tasks by Week 14, with each stage guided closely by specific feedback on structure, academic integrity, methodology, and visual communication, especially in aligning the literature, mixed methods justification, and e publication design with Taylor’s Design School standards.
Findings
From this process, it became clear that successful design research in this module depends on maintaining coherence between title, literature, methodology, findings, and discussion, being transparent and ethical in the use of AI and sources, and integrating design principles, such as hierarchy, Gestalt, contrast, balance, and grid systems, into the final e publication so that the written research and visual presentation support each other as a unified, academically sound design outcome.
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