This investigation explores relations between 1) a theory of human cognition, called Embodied Cognition, 2) the design of interactive systems and 3) the practice of ‘creative group meetings’ (of which the so-called ‘brainstorm’ is perhaps the best-known example). The investigation is one of Research-through-Design (Overbeeke et al., 2006). This means that, together with students and external stakeholders, I designed two interactive prototypes. Both systems contain a ‘mix’ of both physical and digital forms. Both are designed to be tools in creative meeting sessions, or brainstorms. The tools are meant to form a natural, element in the physical meeting space. The function of these devices is to support the formation of shared insight: that is, the tools should support the process by which participants together, during the activity, get a better grip on the design challenge that they are faced with. Over a series of iterations I reflected on the design process and outcome, and investigated how users interacted with the prototypes.
De Experience Tool: Mapping facts and practice to develop (spatial) experiences (Moes, Schrandt, Manuputty, Admiraal & van der Mark, 2019), is in eerste instantie ontwikkeld door docent-onderzoekers en een oud-student van het Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI) om studenten beter onderbouwde afwegingen te laten maken over inrichting van bijvoorbeeld metrostations, winkels maar ook tentoonstellingen. De toolkit is dus niet ontwikkeld in het kader van Designing Experiencescapes of De Tentoonstellingsmaker van de 21ste Eeuw, maar deze onderzoeken hebben wel een belangrijke inhoudelijke basis gegeven voor de toolkit en zijn dus zeer relevant voor de (toekomstige) tentoonstellingsmaker. Het doel van deze tool is om spelers te inspireren bij en informeren over het creëren van belevingen in (hoofdzakelijk) fysieke ruimtes. De tool is voor iedereen die geïnteresseerd is in het creëren van belevingen en met name interessant voor studenten die een beleving willen neerzetten, in welke vorm dan ook en professionals uit de museale en de retailsector die invloed hebben op het inrichten van fysieke ruimtes.
This project addresses the critical issue of staff shortages and training inefficiencies in the hospitality industry, particularly focusing on the hotel sector. It connects with the urgent need for innovative, and effective training solutions to equip (inexperienced) staff with hospitality skills, thereby improving service quality and sustainable career prospects in the hotel industry. The project develops and tests immersive technologies (augmented and virtual reality, AR/VR) tailored to meet specific training needs of hotels. Traditional training methods such as personal trainings, seminars, and written manuals are proving inadequate in terms of learning effectiveness and job readiness, leading to high working pressure and poor staff well-being. This project aims to break this cycle by co-creating immersive training methods that promise to be more engaging and effective. Hotelschool The Hague has initiated steps in this direction by exploring AR and VR technologies for hotel staff training. This project builds on these efforts, aiming to develop accessible, immersive training tools specifically designed for the hotel sector. Specifically, this project aims to explore the effectiveness of these immersive trainings, an aspect largely overlooked in the rapid development of immersive technology solutions. The central research question is: How do immersive AR and VR training methods impact job readiness and learning effectiveness in the hotel sector? The one-year KIEM project period involves co-creating, implementing, and evaluating immersive training in collaboration with Hotelschool The Hague and Hyatt Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht Hotel in real-life settings. The partnership with Warp Industries, a leader in immersive technology, is crucial for the project’s success. Our findings will be co-created and multiplied through relevant sector associations such as House of Hospitality. This project aligns with the MV’s Impact Level 1: Transitions by promoting innovative training strategies that can lead to a fundamental shift in the hospitality industry, thereby enhancing social earning capacities.
In april 2020 is gestart met de uitvoering van het door SIA gesubsidieerde onderzoeksproject ‘Publieke dienstverlening in digitale transitie’. Meerdere publieke organisaties hebben bij Hogeschool Utrecht vragen neergelegd over de gevolgen van digitalisering voor de klantbeleving en klantrelatie. In dit project wordt dan ook met, voor en door de beroepspraktijk van publieke dienstverleners onderzoek verricht omtrent de vraagstelling: “Hoe kunnen servicegerichte publieke organisaties digitalisering zo inzetten dat deze niet alleen bijdraagt aan de doelstellingen van organisaties, maar ook een positieve bijdrage levert aan de klantbeleving?”. Via een ontwerpgerichte onderzoekaanpak waarin de drie kennisdomeinen Customer Experience, Digitalisering en Media Design samenkomen, krijgen publieke dienstverleners die zich bezig houden met digitalisering, klantenservice en klantbeleving, betere inzichten en nieuwe mogelijkheden om digitalisering op de juiste manier in te zetten. Op dit moment is het eerste van vijf werkpakketten afgerond. In dit eerste werkpakket stond het organisatieperspectief centraal: hoe ver zijn organisaties in het publieke domein met de digitale transformatie, wat zijn succes- en faalfactoren van digitalisering en wat doen organisaties om klanten betrokken te houden bij het proces van digitale transformatie. De uitbraak van het Corona crisis in maart van dit jaar heeft volgens de digitale transformatie in een stroomversnelling gebracht. Het gebruik van digitale technologie in de contacten tussen organisaties en hun klanten is naar verwachting van de organisaties die bij het project betrokken zijn, over de hele breedte gezien toegenomen. Welke effecten deze stroomversnelling heeft (gehad) voor de relatie tussen organisaties en hun klanten is echter niet duidelijk. In dit voorstel wordt de opzet beschreven van een onderzoek naar deze effecten. Belangrijkste vraag hierbij is wat de Corona crisis de afgelopen zes tot negen maanden voor effect heeft gehad op de digitale transformatie van organisaties en de relatie tussen organisaties en klanten.
The projectThe overarching goal of DIGNITY, DIGital traNsport In and for socieTY, is to foster a sustainable, integrated and user-friendly digital travel eco-system that improves accessibility and social inclusion, along with the travel experience and daily life of all citizens. The project delves into the digital transport eco-system to grasp the full range of factors that might lead to disparities in the uptake of digitalised mobility solutions by different user groups in Europe. Analysing the digital transition from both a user and provider’s perspective, DIGNITY looks at the challenges brought about by digitalisation, to then design, test and validate the DIGNITY approach, a novel concept that seeks to become the ‘ABCs for a digital inclusive travel system’. The approach combines proven inclusive design methodologies with the principles of foresight analysis to examine how a structured involvement of all actors – local institutions, market players, interest groups and end users – can help bridge the digital gap by co-creating more inclusive mobility solutions and by formulating user-centred policy frameworks.The objectivesThe idea is to support public and private mobility providers in conceiving mainstream digital products or services that are accessible to and usable by as many people as possible, regardless of their income, social situation or age; and to help policy makers formulate long-term strategies that promote innovation in transport while responding to global social, demographic and economic changes, including the challenges of poverty and migration.The missionBy focusing on and involving end-users throughout the process of designing policies, products, or services, it is possible to reduce social exclusion while boosting new business models and social innovation. The end result that DIGNITY is aiming for is an innovative decision support tool that can help local and regional decision-makers formulate digitally inclusive policies and strategies, and digital providers design more inclusive products and services.The approachThe DIGNITY approach combines analysis with concrete actions to make digital mobility services inclusive over the long term. The approach connects users’ needs and requirements with the provision of mobility services, and at the same time connects those services to the institutional framework. It is a multi-phase process that first seeks to understand and bridge the digital gap, and then to test, evaluate and fine-tune the approach, so that it can be applied in other contexts even after the project’s end.Partners: ISINNOVA (Italy), Mobiel 21 (Belgium), Universitat Politechnica deCatalunya Spain), IZT (Germany), University of Cambridge (UK), Factualconsulting (Spain), Barcelona Regional Agencia (Spain), City of Tilburg(Netherlands), Nextbike (Germany), City of Ancona (Italy), MyCicero (Italy),Conerobus (Italy), Vlaams Gewest (Belgium)
