title: Science versus design; comparable, contrastive or conducive?
abstract: Science and design are two completely separated areas of expertise with their own specialists. Science analyses the existing world to create new knowledge, design uses existing knowledge to create a new world. This tunnel-vision mentality and narrow-minded approach is dangerous for problem solving, where a broad view on potential solutions is required to realise a high-quality answer on the defined problem. We state that design benefits from scientific methods, resulting in a more effective design process and in better products, while science benefits from a design approach, resulting in more efficient and effective results. Our philosophy is illustrated using examples from the field of biomedical engineering. Both methods can benefit tremendously from each other. By applying scientific methods, superior choices will be made in the design process. With design, more accurate, effective and efficient science will be performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, P.O. Box 196, 9700 AD Groningen, The Netherlands. g.j.verkerke@gmail.com
authors.forename: Gijsbertus J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Verkerke
authors.forename: Eduard B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: van der Houwen
authors.forename: Anton A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Broekhuis
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bursa
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Catapano
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McCullagh
authors.forename: Khosrow
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mottaghy
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Niederer
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reilly
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rogalewicz
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Segers
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Verdonschot
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design / Q000379:methods*; D012106:Research; D012586:Science / Q000379:methods*