This was the Capstone Project to culminate the Master of Design program. The project was based around the idea of cultural vandalism in busy tourism destinations. I wanted to create something that helped guide tourist behaviours in a fun and educational way, while reducing some of the negative impacts of ignorant tourist behaviours.
The Problem
Tourists behaving poorly while traveling and exploring Japan. Lacking respect for others and the local culture.
Although there can be no “perfect tourist”, there can be better ones. Tourists that are well informed, empathetic, respectful of the local people and understanding of cultural differences could help stop the anti-tourism movements and community hostility toward tourists. It could allow for improved relations between tourists and destination communities that rely on tourism to keep their economy afloat.
The Process
To better understand the opportunity space I was working in, I undertook research on cultural vandalism, Japans tourism sentiment and the particular behaviours that have been flagged as problematic.
Once a focus was established, I took a survey of possible tourists and how they perceived their own behaviours and who they felt was responsible for maintaining good tourist/destination community relations. Surprisingly, many travellers could not identify any moments of misbehaviour (intentional or unintentional). It became clear that tourists don’t know what they don’t know, and it can be difficult for them to identify poor behaviours outside of their own personal culture.
Survey
Comparative Analysis of Resources
After confirming through the survey that tourists are willing and aware they should do location and cultural research, I did an analysis of some of the resources available. Due to a lack of resources targeting behaviour, my analysis focused on travel guides and destination communications. Between the travel resources and destination communications, there was a lack of information on common behaviours that are disrespectful to the local culture and a lack of humour and self reflection being utilized in the communication style.
This research shaped the decision to design the behavioural intervention in an App format, to communicate with the user on a familiar platform while they explore unfamiliar lands. It also brought about the fun and illustrative format in order to communicate with the user in a disarming tone.
Using 5 second testing and first click tests, I continued to improve on the language, placement and details of the user interface. As the UI came together, I continued with user testing by providing potential users with two scenarios that align with the apps main functions. The feedback, general understanding and the way the users interacted with the prototype shed light on a few more usability issues that I improved on before finalizing the prototype.
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User Personas: Max and Lisa
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2 User Journeys and Storyboards.
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Establish requirements of the design.
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User paths established with a UX flow chart.
For more detail on the research and planning process, please see the pre-production report:
The Final Outcome
With potential users (Westerners) and the target destination (Japan) being considered, I developed a plan for an app that could provide real time guidance for tourists exploring Japan, along with some features for helping them plan prior to arrival. Being a tourist can be overwhelming at times, especially when experiencing a culture that is very different to your own. This app needed to casually intervene in the tourists experience, while not becoming another element of distraction.
This app is something that I am very proud of. It speaks to my interest in positive social change and creating a better experiences for all (not just the users).
For full details on the final Case Study and Design please see the document below below.