Processes, Methods and Knowledge Creation in Jewellery Design Practice

Abstract

This study aims to examine the practice of jewellery design, i.e. how practitioners describe their work and how they create the knowledge needed for their practice. The paper reports on an interview study with jewellery designers, which was analysed using a grounded theory approach. The study indicates that jewellery design practice is defined by the relationship between three main factors; the role of the designer, the type of jewellery, and the type of material used in the process. These factors are in turn affected by differences in (1) approaches used in the design process (2) external and internal factors influencing designers’ ways of working, and (3) ways of establishing knowledge. The study provides new insights, which add to the understanding of how designers comprehend their practice and create the knowledge they need for their work.