Supporting designers is one of the main motivations for design research. However, there is an ongoing debate about the ability of design research to transfer its results, which are often provided in form of design methods, into practice. This article takes the position that the transfer of design methods alone is not an appropriate indicator for assessing the impact of design research by discussing alternative pathways for impacting design practice. Impact is created by different means – first of all through the students that are trained based on the research results including design methods and tools and by the systematic way of thinking they acquired that comes along with being involved with research in this area. Despite having a considerable impact on practice, this article takes the position that the transfer of methods can be improved by moving from cultivating method menageries to facilitating the evolution of method ecosystems. It explains what is understood by a method ecosystem and discusses implications for developing future design methods and for improving existing methods. This paper takes the position that efforts on improving and maturing existing design methods should be raised to satisfy the needs of designers and to truly support them.

This article proposes a systematic framework for analysis of the increasingly popular concept of user choice in European health systems. The development of such a framework is exemplified using one category of potential choice: the choice of health service provider. In the first part, the paper summarises the conceptual background of the user choice debate. Subsequently, the paper theoretically analyses the concept of user choice alongside a stringent set of standard dimensions embracing technical, administrative and allocative efficiency, as well as equity in access and finance. Reference to available evidence is made where applicable. The employed dimensions are critically discussed and finally mapped against the identified determinants within a systematic matrix framework for analysis. Furthermore, the paper underlines that user choice is by no means a panacea but rather a highly complex and ambiguous political strategy. Extended choice in some sectors and levels of health systems may lead to inefficiencies and may therefore lead to loss of benefits, including choice, for individuals and society.