Contact us to schedule a one-hour free webinar 'Research design with the Idea Puzzle software', including a two-month free trial of the Idea Puzzle software for all users of your university email domain. To date, Ricardo Morais has lectured the Idea Puzzle webinar 355 times in 103 universities from 27 countries. On average, the knowledge imparted at the webinar was evaluated 9,5 in 10 by 1548 participants (13% response rate).
Introduction
The Idea Puzzle software is a decision-making tool that helps PhD candidates improve the coherence of a research proposal, article, or thesis in the light of Philosophy of Science (Morais & Brailsford, 2019). It also helps review the strengths and weaknesses of a research project in any field of knowledge (Parente & Ferro, 2016). To date, it has helped design more than 7000 research projects worldwide.
The Idea Puzzle software poses 21 questions, helps answer them, and allows the self-evaluation of each answer in terms of decision-making status. The help function of the Idea Puzzle software includes examples of research designs in different fields of knowledge that have won the Idea Puzzle Prize as well as definitions, introductions, tips, and bibliography. The output of the Idea Puzzle software is a research design with 21 answers, an overall score, and a coloured jigsaw puzzle of progress that can be shared in PDF or in Word.
In 2023, the Idea Puzzle software was shortlisted for SAGE £15k Concept Grant, from a total of 89 research software tools. The jury considered the theoretical framework of 21 decisions unique and praised the way the Idea Puzzle helps PhD candidates go through the process of developing their research.
Topics
1. Relation between epistemology, methodology, ontology, and axiology
2. Coherence between theory, method, data, rhetoric, and authorship
3. Empirical research as a system of 21 dilemmatic decisions
Audience
PhD candidates, doctoral supervisors, and lecturers of research methods/skills in any field of knowledge.
Results
After the webinar, participants will be able to: a) acknowledge the relation between epistemology, methodology, ontology, and axiology; b) coherently align the theory, method, data, rhetoric, and authorship of a research proposal, article, or thesis with the Idea Puzzle software; and c) review the strengths and weaknesses of a research project in any field of knowledge.
Lecturer
Ricardo Morais, married and father of three daughters, is Assistant Professor of Management at Católica Porto Business School, and Director of Idea Puzzle. Since 2013, he coordinates the seminar 'How to design your PhD' at the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management (EIASM) in Brussels. He holds a PhD in Strategic Management from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, having graduated in Management from the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto. He is also an alumnus of HPI School of Design Thinking in Germany. His research interests are interdisciplinary, including Philosophy of Science, Strategic Management, Design Thinking, and Spirituality in Management. Since 2002, he has published more than 30 academic articles, chapters, and papers about these topics and lectured in 103 universities from 27 countries. He is a member of the Philosophy of Science Association, Strategic Management Society, and Academy of Management.
Publications
Morais, R., & Brailsford, I. (2019). Knowledge visualisation for research design: The case of the Idea Puzzle software at the University of Auckland. In K.N. Sim (Ed.) Enhancing the role of ICT in doctoral research processes (pp. 46-66). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Parente, C., & Ferro, L. (2016). Idea Puzzle (www.ideapuzzle.com), created by Ricardo Morais. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 15(3), 643-645.
Testimonials
Hasok Chang, Hans Rausing Professor of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
"Your course certainly constitutes an innovation in the teaching of Philosophy of Science."
Mary Mazzilli, Acting Deputy Dean Postgraduate Research Training, University of Essex, United Kingdom
"Thank you so much for doing this. I heard very good things about the webinar. Especially about the evaluation!"
Ursula Hurley, Director of the Doctoral School, University of Salford, United Kingdom
"Thank you for the recent webinar, which was well attended and has received excellent feedback. We see the Idea Puzzle software as a great support for PhD candidates during this period of enforced online learning and as such we would like to formalise it as part of our training offer for the coming academic year."
Previous webinars/seminars
Australia, Flinders University
Australia, University of South Australia, Quality in Postgraduate Research Conference (QPR)
Australia, University of Wollongong
Austria, Vienna University of Economics and Business, International Society for Professional Innovation Management Conference (ISPIM)
Belgium, European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management (EIASM)
Belgium, European University Association Council for Doctoral Education (EUA-CDE)
Belgium, European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc)
Brazil, Universidade Católica do Salvador
Brazil, Universidade Federal de Goiás
Brazil, Universidade Federal do Pará
Chile, Universidad Bernard O'Higgins
Chile, Universidad Catolica de la Santisima Concepción
Chile, Universidad de Concepción
Chile, Universidad del Bío-Bío
Colombia, Universidad de San Buenaventura Cali, Ibero-American Congress of Management Control (CIBEC)
Denmark, Aalborg University
Denmark, Southern Denmark University
Estonia, Estonian Business School
Finland, Aalto University
Finland, Finnish Graduate School of Applied Bioscience
Finland, HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences
Finland, Hanken School of Economics
Finland, The Finnish Doctoral Programme in Business Studies (KATAJA)
Finland, University of Jyväskylä
Finland, University of Tampere
Finland, University of Vaasa
Germany, Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber, Dresden
Germany, Kühne Logistics University
Indonesia, Telkom University
Ireland, Doctoral Net
Latvia, Riga Stradins University
Lithuania, ISM University of Management and Economics
New Zealand, University of Auckland
Pakistan, GC University Lahore
Poland, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology
Portugal, Academia Militar
Portugal, Escola Superior Artística do Porto
Portugal, Escola Superior de Saúde de Viana do Castelo
Portugal, Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto
Portugal, Escola Superior de Turismo e Tecnologia do Mar
Portugal, Escola Superior Gallaecia
Portugal, Escola Superior Náutica Infante D. Henrique
Portugal, Instituto de Estudos Superiores de Fafe
Portugal, Instituto de Telecomunicações
Portugal, Instituto Piaget
Portugal, Instituto Politécnico da Guarda
Portugal, Instituto Politécnico de Beja
Portugal, Instituto Politécnico de Leiria
Portugal, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa
Portugal, Instituto Politécnico de Santarém
Portugal, Instituto Politécnico do Cávado e do Ave
Portugal, Instituto Português de Administração de Marketing
Portugal, Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão
Portugal, Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto
Portugal, ISCTE
Portugal, ISMAI — Universidade da Maia
Portugal, Sociedade Portuguesa de Terapia da Fala
Portugal, Universidade Aberta
Portugal, Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa
Portugal, Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Portugal, Universidade da Beira Interior
Portugal, Universidade da Madeira
Portugal, Universidade de Aveiro
Portugal, Universidade de Coimbra
Portugal, Universidade de Évora
Portugal, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro
Portugal, Universidade do Algarve
Portugal, Universidade do Minho
Portugal, Universidade do Porto
Portugal, Universidade dos Açores
Portugal, Universidade Europeia
Portugal, Universidade Fernando Pessoa
Portugal, Universidade Lusíada
Portugal, Universidade Lusófona
Portugal, Universidade Nova de Lisboa
Portugal, Universidade Portucalense
Portugal, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa
Romania, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi
Romania, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi
Slovakia, University of Economics in Bratislava
South Africa, The Independent Institute of Education
South Africa, University of the Western Cape
Spain, Asociación Iberoamericana de Control de Gestión
Spain, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Spain, Universidad de La Coruña
Spain, Universidad de León
Spain, Universidad Nebrija
Spain, Universidade de Vigo
Spain, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Spain, Universitat de Barcelona
Spain, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Spain, Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Sweden, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Sweden, Stockholm School of Economics
Sweden, Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship
Sweden, University of Uppsala
Switzerland, University of St. Gallen
United Arab Emirates, University of Wollongong in Dubai
United Kingdom, Liverpool John Moores University United Kingdom, University of Essex
United Kingdom, University of Lancaster
United Kingdom, University of Salford
United States, UCLA University of California, Los Angeles