PRACTICE LED PHD: JOANNA CHOUKEIR HOJEILY: Part 1. Discover and Delve

In this early formative stage of research I am reviewing a collection of PhD theses, to get a scope of what is required within a comprehensive research project.

It was Joanna Choukeir's talk at DJCAD Postgraduate Conference on Transformative Practice in June 2016 that provided my first awareness of the possibilities and scope within a Practice Based, industry facing PhD.
http://joannachoukeir.com/About

Purely as a design package, including web content, her research and thesis Youth in Lebanon: Using collaborative and interdisciplinary communication design methods to improve social integration in post-conflict societies  are inspiring. Coupled with the depth of content and creative methodology, it was my first choice when deciding which PhD thesis to review first.

My inital thoughts and notes (highlighting and comments onto the pdf document) relating to the first two Chapters:
1) Discover - contextutal review, including literature and practice review
2) Delve - insight gathering

• Great simple graphics, venn diagrams, colour coded and clear visual organisation.
• Check for UK and global projects, organisations and creative initiatives within the realm of blindness
• Research and establish how the blind population sit within the community and map the demographic
• Research blind photographers and film makers
• 7D design process: Discover, Delve, Define, Develop, Deliver, Determine Impact, Diverge
• Looking at the pros and cons of social integration, undertake research regarding Stigma Theory and Fiona's (Katie Brown upgrade external examiner) comments regarding the 'disabled' not wanting to be 'super normal'
• What design/film/visual fields are relevant to my research. What field is my research in and therefore, where does it fit within that?
• What are the models of communication - Lasswell model for example
• What are semiotics?
• What creative inclusive practice has been undertaken around the world, regarding blindness? Dealing with the 'central route' the 'peripheral route', 'other disciplines' and 'communication design'? Could Derek Jarman's Blue or the documentary Notes on Blindness be examples of  'peripheral route'? Or the BBC programme that utilised designers and creative thinkers to create watches to slow down tremors of Parkinson Disease sufferers. Could Dialogue in the Dark fall within the 'central route. There is a permanent exhibition of this in Hamburg for example. Book to go and review and experience it.
• Communication design develops guidance documents to promote social integration. Could this be applicable in this research and could 'comics' be an outcome?