After completing further mind mapping, I began to think more clearly about what I want this project to achieve and why the subject is personally important to me.
My interest in autistic travel barriers partly comes from my own experience of travelling with and supporting my sister. Through this, I have seen how airports can involve much more than simply checking in and boarding a flight. Waiting, unfamiliar food, crowds, security procedures, changing transport, sensory overload and limited quiet spaces can all affect the experience.
The mind-mapping process helped me recognise that my project may not need to address the whole international travel journey. Instead, I could focus on one particularly demanding environment: the airport, with airport security emerging as a possible pressure point.
When I mapped the different barriers together, they reflected the idea of a “spider web of things.”
The experience is not always made difficult by one isolated problem. Several pressures may happen at the same time. But what stood out most strongly was the issue of awareness and understanding. Even where support exists, it may not be clearly communicated or consistently understood, especially when travelling through unfamiliar airports or different countries.
Airport security combines many of the barriers identified through my research.
Travellers may need to follow instructions quickly, remove specific items, move through crowded queues, and respond to staff in a noisy and unfamiliar environment.
The body scanner may also create uncertainty if someone does not know:
This made me consider whether simple visual preparation could reduce some of the uncertainty surrounding the process. For example, an illustrated sequence could show how to move through security and how to position the body inside the scanner. A memorable rhythm or movement sequence could make the information easier to remember in a high-pressure moment.
Another idea emerging from the mind map was a support system inspired by schemes such as Ask for Angela. An autistic traveller or carer may find it difficult to explain the full situation when they are already overwhelmed. A recognised word, phrase, symbol, or digital request could discreetly signal to trained staff that additional support is required.
This might communicate a simple message such as: I need more time, clearer instructions or a quieter form of support.