MARS-KF - Modelling approach to replicate design research studies

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Kilian Gericke; Professor Dr.-Ing. Sven Matthiesen
• Subject Area: Engineering Design, Machine Elements, Product Development
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 567782600

The evaluation of design methods is a crucial but also challenging part of design research (DR). The quality criteria of objectivity, reliability, and validity are considered to be a measure of quality. While validity and, increasingly, objectivity of empirical studies are taken into account in DR, reliability has hardly been considered so far. Reliability (robustness of study results) is however a prerequisite for validity. This problem is already known as the "replication crisis" in disciplines such as psychology or medicine, and approaches to solving it are being developed. In the field of DR, there is a lack of knowledge and possible solutions.The problem is that knowledge is lacking on whether and how studies in DR can be replicated. This lack of knowledge manifests itself in the fact that it is not clear which aspects of the study design must be published to enable replication of study results. The aim of this research project is therefore to increase the reliability of empirical studies in DR. To this end, a modelling approach for a sufficient description of subject studies is to be developed and validated. This is carried out using an SDS (small data set) and an LDS (large data set) study, 2 exemplary studies that cover the range of existing studies as well as possible. Based on descriptions of the study designs (models), which are reduced from the complete study designs, the reference studies are replicated at the respective other chair. Based on the results of the replication studies, statements can be made about the relevance of the elements of the study description and recommendations for modelling can be developed. In this way, a focused model of the reference study is created from an initial, complete model. This model is evaluated in a further replication of the studies. The project is accompanied by a pilot study with the aim of developing a modelling approach that enables a focused description of comparable studies and their replication.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants