Design-based research lends itself to educational research as the aim of this approach is to develop and refine the design of artefacts, tools and curriculum and to advance existing theory or develop new theories that can support and lead to a deepened understanding of learning. This paper provides an overview of the potential benefits of using a design-based research approach in Higher Degree Research (HDR) in Education. Design based research is most often associated with conducting research in technology-enhanced learning contexts; however, it has also been used in the broader field of research in education. A review of six theses was undertaken in order to identify how characteristics of a design-based research approach were used in Doctoral dissertations. The results of the review indicate that the use of expert groups, micro-phases, diverse participant groups, and a flexibly adaptive design enabled the researchers to refine and improve their research design and their understanding of the problem.