A Methodology for a Scholarship of Transdisciplinary Action Research in the Design Professions

This article responds to Stokols's (2006) explication of the core challenges of a scholarship of transdisciplinary action research (TDAR) in the design professions. It models and explains a grounded theory approach that addresses (1) the methodological challenges entailed in developing reliable and valid protocols for evaluating the processes undertaken by TDAR teams and (2) the challenges of compiling the lessons learned (Stokols 2006) from multiple studies of action research projects and translating these lessons into practical guidelines for future collaborations. A case study and examples from the Wisconsin-based Green Communities and Green Affordable Housing in Indian Country Initiative illustrate the usefulness of this methodology.