Group written report

Research Report of Tai O Experience Design proposed by

Leung Kin Keung KK, Ng Yei Man Florence, Yin

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Contents Summary

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Hong Kong Tourism Background

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Methodology 1– Field Observation

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Methodology 2– Interview

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Persona

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Analysis

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Journey Mapping

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Appendix

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Summary

This report aims to understand the tourists’ information about Tai O and how the users interact with it so as to set directions for our future design solutions. We consider how the experience design can be improved, so as to better assist the users’ information searching process.

A common phenomenon is highlighted from our observation that most users ask somebody instead of searching information by themselves.

Through the analysis based on the major findings, a couple of opportunities of the prototypes have also been pinpointed by the need and motivation of persona which will be detailedly discussed in this report. Through the analysis, we have had more understanding on experience and service design. This guided us to make our designs to suit the users better.

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Hong Kong Tourism Background

Nationaties of Tourist According to the statistics provided by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, there are tourists coming to Hong Kong from all around the world every year. Among all countries, Mainland China and Taiwan are on the top 2 of the list, which made up 75% and 3.9% of the total number of tourist respectively. Other countries include Malaysia, United States, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia and Japan etc.

Types of Attraction There are multiple sides of attractions in Hong Kong which are designed to satisfy different needs of inbound tourists.

They can be mainly categorized into the following types: Shopping mall (Habour City, Time Square), landscape (Repulse Bay, Avenue of Stars), restaurant (seafood, dimsum), heritage site (Tien Tan Buddha Statue, Temple of Ten) and theme parks (Ocean Park, Disneyland).

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Field Research – Observation we focus on… …

A

ctivities

accomodation cuisine itenary

E

nvironment

lifestyle Sight Senses

I

nteractions

Human to Human Human to Environment

O

bjects

stilt house chinese buildings colonial struture

U

sers

Tai O Residents Service Providers Domestic tourists Inbound Tourists

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Our research journey

UO

bjects

We had Experience travellers and Non-experience travellers in our term.

fig. Tai O rural committee historic and cultural showroom

fig. showroom closing

Some of the famous stores are not opening on the day of our visit. We discover experience travellers had more high expectation. It made them disappointed. Non-experience travellers had no feeling.

fig. Tai O cultural workshop

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1 Ourselves as tourists

2 Track other tourists’ routes

3 Short interview

E

nvironment

Boat trip is once of the popluar activity. Tourist can have a special expenreice to feel the heritage built style in Tai O.

fig. boat trip

However, tourists concern about the water pollution in Hong Kong.

The river are dirty(can see some trash) and difficult to see white dolphins. Pollution problem lower our satisfaction of the trip.

fig. water pollution

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We obverse Tai O from the perspective of local tourists

E

nvironment

fig. Stilt house

We see lots of Stilt house, built heritage in there, the traditional environment color is deep and fishing style are so strong. We can smell the seafood/sea in anyway. The “cultural tourists� more likely the step into the Stilt House area and have exploration.

O

bjects

fig. Fish ball

fig. special foods

Most of the stores are selling seafood (salted fish, shrimp paste...)

And some of the stores are selling souvenir, post card or other accessories. But we discover majority of the menu and price tag have no English explanation, foreigner need to use body language to communicate

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fig. souvenir and post card store

1 Ourselves as tourists

2 Track other tourists’ routes

3 Short interview

O

bjects

Temple, General Rock (so called a “attraction”) seem to be less awareness for the Tai O Council.

Some tourists attractions are being neglected by the government.

There are at less indication to direct tourist visit some of the travel spots. Also the information of each attraction are not enough.

fig. Temple

fig. General Rock

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We track down the travelling routes of foreign tourists and had a short interview with them.

Observe Tourists Tourists are more interested in the fishing village environment like the Stilt House and the salted seafood. They spending more time in that area and capturing more photos and participating in boat trip.

They were walking around with no purpose and relatively interested in staying at the market area.

However, they have less interest in explorating the Chinese culture like the architectual elements and history of Yeung Hau Temple. The peddlers communicate with the national tourists in Putonghua and communicate with the international tourists in non-verbal (Body language) way.

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1 Ourselves as tourists

fig. photography

fig. Tourist A

A

ctivities

2 Track other tourists’ routes

3 Short interview

fig. taking photo

I

nteractions

Human to Environment He likes tak photo and using a ponfessional camera but not carrying a bag.

He pay more attention on the Stilt houseand (Stopped and took pictures at San Ki bridge where the local’s house located, ), traditional food, look at some post cards at a shop on the way leaving.

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fig. Temple

fig. Tourist C,D,E

A

ctivities

fig. Temple interior

I

nteractions

Human to Environment They have 3 people travel together and stopped and see the temple for approximately 2 mins.

There is no any guide inside or information board to introduce that place and no any english explain for tourist.

They looked not too interested in it. The Temple feeling lonely, most of the tourist only pass by the temple and never see inside. They were at less interaction with that place.

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1 Ourselves as tourists

A

ctivities

I

nteractions

2 Track other tourists’ routes

3 Short interview

U

sers

Human to Human Service Providers Saler has no sense about their role in tourism. They communicate with the international tourists in body language and Informing the price with a calculator.

Most of the peddlers have no special promotion or English explanation to tourists.

Tai O Residents The fishermen communicate with the international tourists by body language. They like to talk with the tourists. The resident sharing food and beer with him and showing beaming smile. fig. Service Provider and tourist

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1 Ourselves as tourists

2 Track other tourists’ routes

3 Short interview

From the interview...

Tourist A from Italy photographer

Tourist B

Tourist C

from Italy

from Ireland

exchange student

live in hk Tourist D,E from US

He wanted to understand the lives of residents at Tai O & Was going to Lantau then find out Tai O by chance on a map.

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He found out Tai O on a guide book.

They found out about Tai O by friend

He said having conversation and

suggestion(the one living in hk)

drank beer with locals was the best

Chose Tai O over other attractions

experience but disappointed about the

because too tired of giant shopping

boat trip- no dolphins, polluted water

centers, want to see the cultural side of

upset him most.

hk. Spent 2-3 hours at Tai O.

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Insight 1 Insight 1. We cannot find a Tai O valued restaurant Most of the catering styles are similar with the urban area (Cha Chan Teng, Chinese restaurant) 2. Some of the famous stores are not opening on the day of our visit Experience travellers (Who have been to Tai O for several time) have lower satisfaction towards this condition, since they have higher expectation on the trip experience. They required to have the same or even higher standard for the trip comparing to the last experience.

Non-experience travellers concern less regarding to this condition. Experience and expectation are interrelated.

Opportunities Enhance the experience by maintaining the quality of service. Create new form of experience to allure revisit of Tai O.

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Insight 2 Boat trip cannot satisfy our expectation The duration of boat trip is shorter than we expected, there is lack of explanation of the boat guide while no dolphin can be seen. Pollutants are easily spotted on the sea Interesting point Tourists concern about the water pollution in Hong Kong Pollution problem lower their satisfaction of the trip

Insight 3 Temples are not conserved and preserved well. No one introduce the information of the temple (eg. history, architectual characteristics). No any temple activity can be performed (eg. pray saying) Interesting point: Temple (so called a “attraction�) seem to be less awared for the Tai O Council. Some tourists attractions are being neglected by the government Opportunities: Provide guides for unpopular sites and attraction located far away.

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Insight 4 5. We are welcoming by a group of fishermen They want to share their beer and shrimp to us We are lead to a balcony of the stilt house to have a sightseeing Local fishermen have positive attitude towards tourists.

Tourists are welcome to have chats and share culture Opportunities Provide interaction platform to encourage cultural exchange between fishermen and tourists Insight 5 He coincidently walks into the living area of the fishermen He drinks beer and eat shrimp with the fishermen He takes photos with them Interesting point: Tourist’s satisfaction is not necessarily related to level of understanding of one’s verbal language. Non-verbal communication play a important role in cultural exchange (Body language, facial expression, sharing food, talking with the same topics)

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Insight 6 Italian Man’s Journey buys two fish ball from a the seller who tell him the price in Cantonese but he cannot understand. The seller show him the price by pressing her calculator Interesting point: Saler has no sense about their role in tourism (They think they are only salers that they would not give any impact to tourists) Opportunities: Organise special promotion campaign. Promote with bilingual advertisement and offer English explanation to tourists He captures a pictured wall He buys a coconut filling tart Initially the saler gave him a donut due to misunderstanding in communication He walks into a narrow corridor and captures a photo of the scenery Interesting point: Majority of the tourists appreciate the beauty of nature and the authentic scene of the fishing village

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Tourist Journey STAGES DOING

Research and Planning Research destination, routes, products

Transportation, Fares

Trip Adviser

Friends/ Family

Arrival

HKTB

Publication

Trip Duration

Google Map

Searching for rou information centr

Getting Information

Phototaking

THINKING

∙ What is the easiest way to get in Tai O? ∙ How much time I should spend in Tai O?

∙ Where should I g ∙ Where can I get m

FEELING

∙ Will I be able to see everything I can? ∙ How others comment on Tai O?

∙ No one told me s

EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE

closed on Monda

Excited

Unex

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Retail

routes, entre

Sightseeing

Walking along the main streets

Info Centre

n

Market

Enjoying Food Experience local cuisine

Eating Seafood

Eating Snack

Eating Soya Bean Custard

Eating Tea Cake

Getting Boat Trip

Visiting Kwan Tai Temple

Sightseeing

Worshipping

Seeing Stilt House

Nothing

Walking along Stilt House Sightseeing

Leave

Meeting Locals

Phototaking

Asking

g

Buying

Souvenirs

Searching Dolphin

d I go first? et more information?

∙ What should I buy? ∙ How special of the products?

∙ They’re worth for try! ∙ Can I make them by myself?

∙ No dolphin at all ∙ It’s not worth

∙ No guide in the temple ∙ Poor maintenance

∙ How the fishermen live? ∙ What are inside the house?

me some stores are nday!

∙ No body introduce their

∙ I love it but I can’t bring them

∙ The sea is polluted!

∙ I’m helpless

∙ Can I visit the Stilt House?

products to me!

to home!

Joyful Delighted

Interested

nexpected Helpless

Shocked

Satisfaction level

Conclusion We focus on the following concern to develop our individual idea. For example, the tourists usually visit Tai O after Big Buddha, how to make Tai O as a crucial attraction rather than tying with the Big Buddha? The average duration of Tai O of tourists is around 2-3 hours How we can lengthen the duration of their visit?

Appendix