DESIGN RESEARCH GUIDE

DESIGN RESEARCH GUIDE:

/SECONDARY/

WHAT?:

This is the activity of reading what others have done in your field of interest before you. This is also known as desk research. Secondary research is not so much a method as it is a source of information. This is commonly used in market research and depends on a systematic review of readily available data. The main advantage of this method is the fact that it's relatively cheap and fast which is the reason why it's the first method of choice in most research projects. There is a point to always starting out your research project with a round of secondary research in order to get your bearings in your new field. However, this may cause you to go into an already set state of mind which may cause you to miss new perspectives on your subject and simply do what others have done before you.

WHEN?:

You wish to get your first input into a project before you know where to start.
You don't have much time or resources to do your own research (primary research)
Your area of your research can't be approached on your own
You feel that it may be the analysis that needs a new perspective rather than the actual data that it is based on
You wish to verify or test a new finding statistically or against readily available data.

HOW?:

Since Secondary research is mostly about collecting, summarizing or reevaluating existing data, the most important steps are about finding existing sources (such as libraries and databases) and reviewing the data in a systematic and orderly fashion. In the early stages of a project it may be more about finding inspiration rather than proof and therefore the analysis may play a smaller part.

Search online or at your local reference library (where you can ask for help). Some online systems allow you to automatically repeat your search daily or subscribe to
RSS feeds, enabling you to keep up with developments in your area.

Some libraries will require a reader pass, some websites will require a subscription. Most current market research reports will have to be paid for, however last year's reports can often be accessed free at local reference libraries

SOURCES:

Magazines, newspapers, publications
Databases, articles
Libaries
Internet research
Public research institutes
Literature, books
Universities
Phonebook, address listings
Public Institutions and organizations
Non-profit organizations
Special Interest Groups
Lobby groups
Political organizations
Museums
Business organizations
National press and trade periodicals
Specialist blogs
Conference reports
Market research, market reports and official
statistics
Business reports from commercial publishers (such as KeyNote, Euromonitor, Mintel,
Datamonitor, and The Economist Intelligence Unit)
Public sector periodicals, reports and papers
Trade associations and organisations
Colleges and universities
Think tanks