As Week 2 comes to an end, I have been reflecting on the research and discussions that have taken place over the last two weeks in order to develop my initial project proposal.

When I began this module, I identified two broad areas of interest that appeared repeatedly throughout my previous work: travel and neurodiversity. My intention was to explore both areas before gradually narrowing towards a more focused project direction. However, as I progressed through my initial research, I found myself becoming increasingly drawn towards neurodiversity and the wider conversations surrounding disability, inclusion and human diversity.

Through reading texts by Nancy Doyle, Patrick Dwyer and Devon Price, I became particularly interested in the neurodiversity paradigm and how it challenges traditional deficit-based understandings of neurological difference. One of the most significant realisations during this stage of research was that many of my previous projects were not solely concerned with travel itself. Instead, they often focused on accessibility, inclusion, navigation, independence and supporting underrepresented groups. These themes strongly align with many of the ideas being discussed within neurodiversity research.

As a result, I began questioning whether travel was truly the central focus of my practice or whether it had simply been one context in which my broader interests had emerged. This reflection led me to explore neurodiversity as a subject in its own right rather than solely through the lens of travel.

At this stage, the question that I am most interested in exploring is:

What are the implications of viewing neurodivergence as a form of human diversity rather than a deficit?

This question emerged naturally from my reading and reflects my growing interest in the neurodiversity paradigm and the social model of disability. Both frameworks challenge traditional assumptions about disability and encourage a shift away from viewing neurological differences as problems to be fixed. Instead, they promote an understanding of neurodivergence as a natural part of human variation.

Although my project remains intentionally open at this stage, several themes have consistently emerged throughout my research:

• Neurodiversity Paradigm
• Social Model of Disability
• Inclusion
• Accessibility
• Identity
• Participation
• Lived Experience
• Deficit vs Difference

Moving forward, I would like to continue exploring how understandings of neurodiversity have evolved and why the neurodiversity paradigm has become increasingly influential in recent years. I am also interested in gathering perspectives from neurodivergent individuals, educators, parents, psychologists and support professionals in order to develop a broader understanding of how these ideas influence everyday experiences.

Creating this proposal has helped me recognise that my project does not need to be fully defined at this stage. Instead, the proposal serves as a snapshot of my current thinking and provides a direction for the next phase of research. While I do not yet know what form the final outcome will take, I feel that I am beginning to identify a subject area that genuinely interests me and aligns with both my previous practice and my values as a designer.