Research-through-Design Contributions

The Research-through-Design (RtD) Contributions track at INDIS 2026 welcomes submissions where design practice itself becomes the primary method of inquiry and knowledge generation.

Research-through-Design recognizes that design artifacts, prototypes, and creative explorations can serve as vehicles for generating new insights about design processes, human experiences, technologies, and socio-technical systems. This track provides a platform for researchers and practitioners to present design-led investigations that advance understanding through the act of designing, prototyping, and reflecting on design outcomes.

RtD contributions should clearly articulate how design practice contributes to research knowledge, moving beyond purely descriptive project documentation.

Scope of Contributions

Submissions may include, but are not limited to:

  • Design experiments exploring emerging technologies or materials
  • Prototype-driven investigations of human–technology interaction
  • Speculative or critical design explorations
  • Design research addressing complex societal challenges
  • Material explorations and making-based research
  • Experimental design methods and design processes
  • Reflective practice documenting knowledge generated through design work
  • Design artifacts that reveal new conceptual or methodological insights

Authors should demonstrate how the design process, artifacts, or interventions contribute to broader research understanding in design and innovation.

Paper Length and Formatting

Authors must prepare their manuscripts according to the following guidelines:

The manuscript must be formatted strictly according to the official Springer conference paper template provided on the conference website.

Submissions exceeding the page limit or not conforming to the template may be returned without review.

Anonymization and Review Process

INDIS 2026 follows a double-blind peer review process.

Authors must ensure that:

  • The submitted manuscript does not contain author names, affiliations, or identifying information
  • References to the authors’ previous work are anonymized where necessary
  • File metadata does not reveal author identities

Each submission will be reviewed by multiple members of the Scientific Committee based on the following criteria:

  • Originality and novelty of the research contribution
  • Methodological rigor and clarity
  • Relevance to the conference themes
  • Quality of analysis and discussion
  • Contribution to design and innovation research

Accepted papers will be presented during the conference and included in the official proceedings.

Submission Process

INDIS 2026 - International Conference on Design & Innovation Studies

All Research-through-Design Contributions must be submitted through the Microsoft Conference Management Toolkit (Microsoft CMT) submission system.

Authors must:

  1. Create or log in to a Microsoft CMT account at Microsoft CMT Log in
  2. Select the INDIS 2026 – Research-through-Design Contributions track
  3. Upload the anonymized manuscript in PDF format
  4. Provide the required metadata (title, abstract, keywords, author details)

Submissions sent by email or other means will not be considered.


Recommended Structure


Research-through-Design submissions may take different forms depending on the nature of the design investigation. However, authors are encouraged to structure their paper to clearly communicate the relationship between design practice and research knowledge.

A typical structure may include:

  • Title
  • Abstract
  • Keywords
  • Research Context and Motivation
  • Design Research Question or Inquiry
  • Design Process and Methods
  • Description of Artifacts / Prototypes / Interventions
  • Reflection and Analysis of Design Outcomes
  • Knowledge Contribution to Design Research
  • Implications for Design Practice or Future Research
  • References

Authors are encouraged to include visual documentation such as sketches, prototypes, diagrams, or process illustrations to support the research narrative.


Important Notes


  • Submissions must present original, unpublished work that is not currently under review elsewhere.
  • All papers will be checked for academic integrity and originality.
  • At least one author of each accepted paper must register and present the work at the conference for it to appear in the proceedings.

Review Process

All Research-through-Design submissions will undergo a double-blind peer review process.

Each paper will be evaluated by members of the Scientific Committee and domain experts, considering the following criteria:

  • Originality of the design investigation
  • Clarity in articulating research questions through design practice
  • Quality and rigor of the design process
  • Insightfulness of reflection and analysis
  • Contribution to design research knowledge
  • Clarity and quality of presentation

Final acceptance decisions will be made by the Program Chair in consultation with the Scientific Committee.


Program Chair


The Research-through-Design Contributions track is coordinated under the leadership of the Program Chair:


Dr. Debayan Dhar
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India

At the Conference

Authors of accepted papers will be invited to present their work at INDIS 2026 during dedicated technical sessions.

Presentations will provide authors the opportunity to:

  • Share their research with the international design research community
  • Engage in discussions with scholars, practitioners, and industry experts
  • Receive feedback that can further strengthen the research for future journal publications

At least one author must register and present the work at the conference for the paper to be included in the proceedings.

Publication and Archival

Accepted papers will be published in the INDIS 2026 Conference Proceedings, which will be published by Springer (subject to publisher approval).

The proceedings will be assigned an ISBN and archived through Springer’s publication platform, ensuring long-term accessibility and citation.

  • Indexed and archived as part of the official conference proceedings
  • Published in a format compliant with the Springer conference paper template
  • Made available to the academic and research community following publication

Selected high-quality papers may also be invited for extended submission to a journal special issue after the conference.

Ethics and Responsible Research

INDIS 2026 expects all submissions to adhere to high standards of academic integrity and responsible research practice.

Authors must ensure that their work:

  • Represents original research that has not been published or submitted elsewhere.
  • Properly acknowledges prior work through appropriate citations.
  • Avoids plagiarism, fabrication, falsification of data, or other forms of academic misconduct.

Research involving human participants must follow appropriate ethical guidelines including informed consent and data protection.

Use of Generative AI Tools

Authors may use generative AI tools as supportive tools during the research and writing process, but they remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of their work.

  • Generative AI tools must not be listed as authors
  • Authors must ensure that AI-generated content does not introduce plagiarism or fabricated references
  • If AI tools significantly assisted writing or analysis, authors should acknowledge their use appropriately

CMT Acknowledgement

The Microsoft CMT service was used for managing the peer-reviewing process for this conference. This service was provided for free by Microsoft and they bore all expenses, including costs for Azure cloud services as well as for software development and support.