A DESIGNER'S RESEARCH MANUAL, THIRD EDITION

Subtitle Succeed in Design by Knowing Your Clients & Understanding What They Really Need

Jenn Visocky O'Grady, Ken Visocky O'Grady
Price $30.00 / £22.00
Description Description
Move beyond assumptions toward evidence-based decision-making with this structured, practical framework for conducting research within the design process.

In A Designer’s Research Manual, Third Edition, Jenn and Ken Visocky O’Grady equip designers with the skills they need to conduct effective research. The third edition of this foundational text expands coverage of research environments, including data collection, collaboration, participatory design, and cross-disciplinary methodologies. Students and professionals alike will learn how to define research objectives, identify stakeholders, select appropriate methods, gather and analyze data, and synthesize findings into actionable insights.

Key topics include:

  • Primary and secondary research methods
  • Interviews, surveys, and observation
  • Ethnographic and participatory approaches
  • Quantitative and qualitative analysis
  • Evaluating sources and methods
  • Translating findings into strategy and concept development

Clear diagrams, case studies, and frameworks guide you through each stage of the research process, demonstrating how research strengthens outcomes across branding, editorial design, digital interfaces, and systems design.

More than a methods handbook, A Designer’s Research Manual positions research as a creative act. By engaging deeply with context, audience, and environment, designers develop work that is not only visually compelling but also culturally responsive and strategically grounded.

Widely adopted in design programs, this third edition continues to serve as a core textbook for undergraduate and graduate courses in graphic design, communication design, and design strategy. It prepares designers to enter professional practice with confidence in both inquiry and execution.
Format:
Format Trade Paperback 216 Pages
ISBN:
ISBN 9780760399446
Size:
Size6.67 in x 9.67 in / 169.42 mm x 245.62 mm
Published:
Published Date November 24th, 2026
Jenn Visocky O'Grady

Jenn Visocky O’Grady is an author, designer, and educator whose work has been featured in numerous books and creative industry publications.

Jenn is a professor at Cleveland State University, a public research university where, for nearly two decades, she has dedicated herself to providing access and opportunity to a diverse group of aspiring creatives. She has also served on the board of directors for AIGA, the professional association for design.

With her husband Ken Visocky O'Grady, the couple has co-authored three internationally distributed books—Design Currency, The Information Design Handbook, and A Designer’s Research Manual—that strive to make academic concepts approachable while celebrating the power, impact, and potential of good design. They also present workshops and lectures at creative industry events, and are committed to promoting the value of design to external audiences.

You can learn more at visockyogrady.com.

Ken Visocky O'Grady

Ken Visocky O’Grady is an author, designer, and educator whose work has been featured in numerous books and creative industry publications.

Ken is a professor and coordinator of the graduate program at the School of Visual Communication Design at Kent State University. His coursework focuses on design thinking and research-driven design practices. He has served on the AIGA Design Educators Community  (DEC) steering committee.

With his wife Jenn Visocky O'Grady, the couple has co-authored three internationally distributed books—Design Currency, The Information Design Handbook, and A Designer’s Research Manual—that strive to make academic concepts approachable while celebrating the power, impact, and potential of good design. They also present workshops and lectures at creative industry events, and are committed to promoting the value of design to external audiences.

You can learn more at visockyogrady.com.

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