ABSTRACT
With the objective of cultivating a research approach early on during design education, this chapter reports on a case study to find out how the development of research skills in design students through project-based learning can be supported. Moreover, it seeks to investigate the effectiveness of datasheet templates based on the designerly activity theory (d.AT) model in supporting, collecting, and interpreting data within a research through design (RtD) approach. The design students participating in the study were guided to act as designer-researchers during the 14-week research project. Collaboratively they collected data regularly on their own design process using the provided template. Twenty-two filled templates were analyzed and interpreted in two ways: by the students themselves which identified the proximity between the evolution of their design project and design process; and by the researchers who presented the proximity of exploratory, generative, and evaluative research. The results show, on the one hand, the research attitude, implication, and interest of students in becoming reflective designer-researchers. On the other, it underlines the usefulness of the d.AT template for collecting data collaboratively during the RtD project and interpreting data in different ways.
