Mentor Reflection – Refining the Research Direction

During this tutorial, we discussed the current direction of my project and the next steps needed before moving into the design phase. Rather than introducing a completely new direction, the discussion focused on refining my research and identifying a clearer niche.

One area suggested for further investigation was the idea of experience itself. Sarah encouraged me to explore research surrounding the difficulty autistic people may have in expressing their experiences, and to consider the relationship between empathy and expression. This opened up a new perspective that I had not previously considered and may become an important area of research as my project develops.

Another important discussion centred around my audience. Up until now, I have largely been thinking about designing directly for autistic adults. However, it was suggested I also consider whether the project may be more effective if the primary audience became carers or those supporting autistic travellers, rather than the autistic traveller themselves. This is something I will continue to explore before making any final decisions.

Next Steps

By the end of August, I aim to have:

• Identified a clear research niche.
• Completed the first round of primary research.
• Refined my working research question.
• Reviewed and confirmed my intended audience.
• Developed a stronger plan for the design phase of the project.

Key Reminder

Sarah also reminded me to begin recording the publication dates of all the literature I review and to include these within my literature review. As this is an emerging area of research, keeping my sources current and demonstrating the field's development will strengthen the academic quality of my project.