METHODOLOGY OF DESIGN RESEARCH AS A SOCIAL PHENOMENON2

Relevance of the Research: Design in the modern world has long ceased to be an exclusively aesthetic or functional category. It permeates all spheres of human life, shaping our environment, interaction, values, and behavior.Considering design as a social phenomenon means moving beyond its purely professional or artistic interpretation and delving into the complex network of interconnections between objects, people, institutions, and cultural contexts.The relevance of design from this perspective is due to several factors. Firstly, the growing role of design in a globalized and technologically saturated world requires a deep understanding of its impact on society. Secondly, the complexity of modern social problems (environmental challenges, social inequality, digital transformation) demands interdisciplinary approaches where design can act as a tool for change. Thirdly, the evolution of design itself, its shift from a focus on product to a focus on system, service, and experience, emphasizes its social nature. The purpose of this study is to develop methodological foundations for researching design as a social phenomenon. We aim to outline theoretical frameworks, define key paradigms, present a wide range of data collection and analysis methods, and discuss ethical aspects and challenges faced by researchers in this field. The objectives of the article include: 1) defining key concepts and theoretical approaches that allow for understanding design in its social dimension; 2) analyzing the main research paradigms that can be applied to the study of design; 3) systematizing quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods of data collection relevant to the study of the social aspect of design; 4) describing approaches to the analysis and interpretation of the obtained data; 5) considering ethical principles and practical challenges faced by researchers; 6) identifying prospects for further development of the methodology for studying design as a social phenomenon. Research Methods: The study used the following methods and approaches: systemic-structural method, general scientific methods, and others.The article analyzes that the development of design research methodology is influenced by the following factors:1) practical problems of increasing design effectiveness and its implementation in socio-cultural existence; 2) deepening the methodology of design analysis as a social phenomenon. Attention is focused on such approaches to design analysis as ontological, epistemological, institutional, instrumental, normative-role, communicative, and systemic, which allow for studying design as a complex and contradictory process in achieving the harmonization of society-individual relations.Conclusion: Design methodology has moved to the center of the scientific research field, in particular, the enrichment of design methodology through the adaptation of philosophical, general scientific, and partially scientific methodology, taking into account the specifics of the methodology determined by its field of applied application.