Restating the Problem (pt. 1)

To solve the problem, I have to get rid of prior assumptions and restate the problem in a way that I can solve. One way to do this is by asking questions.

Problem: Living space is getting smaller and smaller.

Questions: What is living space? How small is small? Is it really getting smaller?

What is living space?

Living space is defined as the amount of space people have to live in. In our case, living space is a house, an apartment/flat, or other types of residential units. We decided that it has to include a bedroom, kitchen/dining area, bathroom, and living/leisure area.

Ans: Living space is a house/apartment that has a kitchen, bathroom, living area, and (at least one) bedroom.

How small is 'small'?

'Small" is an arbitrary word. Some people may think that 800 sq ft is very small, while others think that is it more than enough. This is because people's preferences differ and may be affected by their background (ex: family, country of origin, etc)

A living space is defined as 'small' when it is below the average size of living space in the country. However, this is relative as the average size differ between countries. (ex: Hong Kong - 484 sq ft; Australia - 2303 sq ft). So, we decided that we will work with the country we are living in now, Singapore. The average size of a three-room apartment in Singapore is 60-65 sqm.

Ans: 'Small' is less than 60 sq m.

Is it really getting smaller?

Generally, the average size of houses is decreasing, more prominently in urban area. Ex: In Britain 90 years ago, the average semi-detached house has four bedrooms and an area of 1647 sq ft. Today, it only has three bedrooms and an area of 925 sq ft.

However, I notice that in some cases, the area of the house is actually not that small. The problem lies in the design or the housekeeping. For example, the house is badly designed in a way that it looks narrow and cramped, with low calling or dark wall paint. The owner can also have many things scattered around the house, making it look messy and cluttered.

Ans: In general yes, but it is also affected by the design factor.