My intervention will likely produce data which is open to the ethnographic research approach, where I will be analysing both qualitative and quantitive data produced by the surveys, along with personal observations which can be analysed through descriptive research and thematic analysis. “Descriptive research involves a certain amount of interpretation of the meaning or significance of what is described. This process is often criticised on the grounds of bias towards the investigators subjective judgements and superficial impressions of phenomena.”(Page 58, Verma, Beard 1981). When producing resources and analysing data it is important that I consider my positionality as an able-bodied, female-identifying technician, my personal experience and external factors, which will influence both students experience and response to the surveys and tools, as well as my interpretation of the data.
I will use reflexive thematic analysis to interpret the data garnered through surveys and observations, as outlined by Braun and Clarke in ‘Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide (2022)’ who offer up the analytic process below:
- Dataset familiarisation
- Data coding
- Initial theme generation
- Theme development and review
- Theme refining, defining and naming
- Writing up
…although I acknowledge that some elements of the process such as defining and naming themes may require further cycles of research before they can be affirmed.
In August 2025 I attended the Design and Disability exhibition at V&A South Kensington as part of my research. The exhibition offered new insight into assistive technology and ideas of how to introduce the adaptable tools to students, and gave context as to how disability has shaped design and innovation, for both disabled and able-bodied people.
by Open Style Lab fellows Levi Waterhouse, Jiral Parmar and Laura Caron-Parker 2024
I was curious about other research around sewing and disability, and found
Jamoliddinova Makhbuba Sotvoldiyevna’s article ‘Teaching Sewing Techniques to Students with Disabilities’. The article presents the research as guidance, born from their observational research. It offers up advice to the reader of effective methods of teaching sewing to disabled students many of which I have already considered for my research or use in my practice. “It is important for teachers to be patient and understanding, and to adapt their teaching methods to meet the specific needs of each student. This may involve using different types of sewing equipment, such as adaptive scissors, sewing aids, or modified sewing machines. It may also involve breaking down the sewing process into smaller, more manageable steps, and providing additional support and assistance as needed.” (Sotvoldiyevna 2024)
A colleague visited the Fashion department at Ravensbourne University, and was shown the adapted sewing machines for students who are unable to operate the sewing machine pedal by using their feet. The machine is modified to enable the user to operate using their upper body by moving the pedal to the top of the machine. This has pushed my outlook on the studio space further and highlighted that our department should advocate further for prospective disabled students needs.