After clarifying my research focus and framing playground design as a wicked problem, the next phase of my thesis will concentrate on practice-based research methods. These steps are intended to help me better understand how children can be meaningfully included in the playground design process through interaction design approaches.
One of the main steps will be conducting workshops with children. These workshops will use playful and interactive methods such as drawing, simple prototyping, storytelling, and role-playing. Rather than relying on verbal explanations, these activities aim to create spaces where children can express ideas through play, movement, and imagination. This approach aligns closely with interaction design principles and allows children to participate in ways that feel natural to them.
In addition to working with children, I plan to conduct interviews with parents. Parents play an important role in shaping children’s play experiences, especially through their views on safety, risk, and supervision. These interviews will help me understand adult perspectives and expectations surrounding playgrounds, and how they may influence design decisions.
Another key step will be on-site observations in playgrounds. By observing how children interact with existing play spaces, I aim to gain insights into their behavior, social interactions, and patterns of play. Observations will help ground my research in real-world contexts and reveal aspects of play that may not emerge through workshops or interviews alone.
Alongside these practical methods, I will continue my literature review throughout the research process. Revisiting existing theories, case studies, and design frameworks will allow me to reflect on my findings and situate them within a broader academic context. This ongoing dialogue between theory and practice is essential for developing a well-rounded and reflective thesis.
Together, these steps represent an iterative and exploratory research journey. Rather than following a fixed path, the process will remain flexible, allowing insights from each phase to inform the next. This approach reflects both the complexity of playground design and the values of interaction design, where learning emerges through engagement, reflection, and participation.
