At some point in the research process, a topic can start to feel overwhelming. What once felt exciting and full of possibilities slowly turns into a space of uncertainty, where everything seems relevant and nothing feels clear enough. This is exactly where I currently find myself in my thesis journey.
My initial interest in playground design came from a simple question: why do most playgrounds still look the same? The more I read and explored, the more layers I discovered—safety regulations, standardization, adult-centered design, lack of child participation, educational values, urban constraints, and social expectations. Each of these aspects felt important, meaningful, and worth investigating. However, instead of clarity, this richness created a sense of being lost.
This moment of doubt made me question whether I should change my research question or narrow my scope. Should I focus only on school playgrounds? Should I shift my attention from playgrounds as spaces to the design process itself? Or should I concentrate on one specific issue, such as how children can be meaningfully involved in the early stages of design?
As I move forward, my goal is not to simplify the topic, but to clarify my role as a designer within it. Accepting that a research topic can feel too big is an important step toward shaping it into something focused, intentional, and personal.
