Yes, researching does get you inspiration points or crafting experience. This is not a big but seems only logical considering you are destroying and item. Instead of destroying it for materials, you are essentially breaking this item down to find its properties these learning how to create similar items with those properties. Since this idea would take you time to understand the properties it only makes sense that you gain experience and the knowledge thus as a game mechanic you gain inspiration.
Also considering that for each trait you learn beyond the first the time it takes to research it doubles in time. So the first trait is six hours, then twelve, then one day, the. Two days. I have yet to get a fifth trait for one item but I would assume that next research is going to take me four days.
Anyways it is a good idea to gain experience e considering how many items it will take to make or break down just to rank up a profession, and it will also require many ranks to become a full fledged master crafter.