craft is understood not only as a way of making things by hand, but also as a way of thinking through the hand manipulating a material (Nimkulrat, 2010, p. 64). Craft is thus “a means for logically thinking through senses” (Nimkulrat, 2010, p. 75) This understanding follows the notion of craft as “a way of thinking through practices of all kinds” (Adamson, 2007, p. 7) and “a dynamic process of learning and understanding through material experience” (Gray & Burnett, 2009, p. 51).

thinking and knowing are inseparable from making in any craft or designerly practices. >

Firstly, the implementation of methodologies operating from the “unknown to the known” rather than the “known to the unknown” in more established research methodologies (Sullivan, 2009, p. 48), and secondly, research processes involving data that are “created” rather than “collected” in traditional research (p. 50). The creation of artifacts thus comes into play as the “driving force behind the research” and also “the creator of ideas” (Mäkelä & Routarinne, 2009, p. 22).

The aforementioned characteristics of practice-led research accord with the British Arts & Humanities Research Council’s definition of research (2012, p. 10) – research is concerned with the definition of processes rather than outcomes, and must specify the research problem, context of inquiry, and methods employed.

Niedderer and Roworth-Stokes (2007) suggest the following uses of creative practice in research: (1) practice posing a research problem; (2) practice providing a context of inquiry; (3) practice serving as method to gain new knowledge and understanding; and (4) practice as providing evidence to support outcomes of research. Purposively utilizing creative practice to conduct research demonstrates its rigor and general criteria of objectivity, reliability, and validity that research entails.

Additional Readings

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