Design Development

Moving into Phase 3 feels like an important shift in the project. The focus is now moving away from broad discovery and towards development, refinement and making. This phase runs across four weeks and is designed to help move the project from research into a clearer studio direction.

Initial Reflection

The biggest thing I am taking from this phase is that my research and studio practice now need to develop together.

Up until this point, much of my work has been focused on understanding autism, travel barriers, airport accessibility and existing design approaches. Phase 3 is where I need to start turning those findings into actual design development, while continuing to question and refine the direction.

I also need to avoid treating the Critical Report as something to complete alongside the studio project, explaining the research, decisions and critical thinking that are shaping the final outcome.

Weeks 9–10: Review and Refinement

The first part of the phase focuses on reviewing the work completed so far.

For me, this means:

• reviewing my research threads
• analysing my primary research
• identifying where the strongest evidence is appearing
• questioning which ideas are worth developing further
• making sure the project still connects clearly to my research question

This feels particularly relevant because my project has moved through several possible directions. Rather than seeing this as a problem, I now need to use the evidence I have collected to decide which ideas genuinely deserve further development.

Weeks 11–12: Design Development

The second half of the phase focuses more heavily on iteration and concept refinement.

This means I should begin producing and testing ideas rather than waiting until I feel that all of the research is complete.

The university encourages ambition and risk within this stage, which feels important for my project. I want to allow myself to explore ideas that may initially feel difficult or ambitious, particularly around digital experiences, airport technology, rehearsal tools and emerging technologies.

The aim is not necessarily to produce the finished outcome immediately, but to generate enough work to understand what is effective, what is not and why.

Research and Practice in Tandem

One of the most important messages from the Phase 3 introduction is that the Critical Report and Studio Practice should inform each other.

For my project, this could mean:

Research identifies a barrier → I develop a design response → I test or evaluate it → the findings influence further research and design development.

Rather than following a completely linear process, Phase 3 should become more iterative.

This is particularly useful because I am still investigating what form the final outcome should take. The design process itself may help me understand whether the strongest response is an app, a digital airport experience, a rehearsal tool, a service, or a wider system combining several elements.

My Priorities for Phase 3

My main priorities moving into this phase are:

• strengthen and complete the most important areas of my three research threads
• analyse my autistic adult interviews and identify recurring themes
• investigate existing airport technology and accessibility design in greater depth
• identify gaps between autistic travellers' needs and what airports currently provide
• begin developing and testing possible design responses
• explore digital and emerging technologies without fixing the final outcome too early
• continue seeking tutor, peer and industry feedback
• begin structuring and drafting the Critical Report alongside the studio work

Reflection

Phase 3 feels like the point where I need to stop asking only “What can I research next?” and begin asking: “What does the research I already have allow me to make, test and question?” By the end of the phase, I need a body of work that demonstrates a much clearer final direction. The aim is not simply to have more research, but to show a visible journey from research → analysis → experimentation → refinement. This feels like the stage where the project should begin moving from an interesting research subject into a tangible design proposition.