ABSTRACT
In this first chapter, we take a general outlook of case study strategies from various interdisciplinary perspectives, in order to find out what lessons architects and other designers can learn from case studies conducted in the various scholarship areas relevant to design research. The discussion includes literature reviews on the topic, characteristics of case studies, ontological, and epistemological premises of this research methodology (as opposing to case studies as teaching tools), and implications of the existing body of knowledge on the research design of design research, alternately called evidence-based design or practice-based research. As communication can be challenging in the interdisciplinary realm, when the participants crossing disciplinary boundaries are using their own jargon, the aim of this chapter also is to establish common, recognized terminology regarding case studies among architects and other designers demonstrating interdisciplinary views.
