Which is NOT listed as a secondary investigative method?

Which is NOT listed as a secondary investigative method?

• A. Explore historical or contemporary design movements
• B. Interview potential clients
• C. Obtain anthropometric or ergonomic data from published data for the potential user group
• D. Identify suitable materials via internet research

Answer: (B)

The question tests your ability to tell apart secondary research from primary research in design investigation. Secondary methods rely on information that already exists, gathered from sources like books, journals, published datasets, or online catalogs. They don’t involve collecting new data from people or environments. Interacting with potential clients by interviewing them is not a secondary method because it produces new, firsthand information directly from users. This is a primary method, used to gain fresh insights about needs, preferences, or constraints. The other options fit secondary research: exploring historical or contemporary design movements uses existing literature; obtaining anthropometric or ergonomic data from published sources uses already published measurements; identifying suitable materials via internet research uses information that’s available online without new data collection.

The question tests your ability to tell apart secondary research from primary research in design investigation. Secondary methods rely on information that already exists, gathered from sources like books, journals, published datasets, or online catalogs. They don’t involve collecting new data from people or environments.

Interacting with potential clients by interviewing them is not a secondary method because it produces new, firsthand information directly from users. This is a primary method, used to gain fresh insights about needs, preferences, or constraints.

The other options fit secondary research: exploring historical or contemporary design movements uses existing literature; obtaining anthropometric or ergonomic data from published sources uses already published measurements; identifying suitable materials via internet research uses information that’s available online without new data collection.