Okay maybe we don't have lab coats and safety glasses. Maybe a Bunsen Burner would singe our fingers. That doesn't stop us from doing research. We have requirements analysis, usability studies, design approaches, coding standards, automated regression testing, debuggers, and defect tracking systems. Autodesk has some pages on our main site related to some of our research efforts.
http://www.autodesk.com/research
As mentioned on the site, Autodesk Research represents a ten-year endeavor to advance both our leadership position and our ever-growing understanding of technology and its application. Autodesk Research scientists seek to significantly strengthen the company’s position as a catalyst for advancing the state of innovation in the arts and the sciences. Check it out.