Casebeskrivelse:
Requisition: Mariager Fjord
Group number: 26
Group members:
- Niels Melballe – Natur og Kultur Formidling, UCN
- Marie Viktoria Ravn-Ellestad – Natur og Kultur Formidling, UCN
- Kristian Boel – Interaktive Digitale Medier, AAU
- Simon Jakobsen – Interaktive Digitale Medier, AAU
- Louise Sandal Ullmann – Industrielt Design, AAU
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Design Process:
We have had the pleasure to work with Mariager Fjord Kommune and their representative Anne Kathrine Navrbjerg. At the very first day of the workshop, we were presented with two cases from which we were to work towards developing a concept. The first couple of days, we sought to decide which case was the better option for us – in this context, the choice fell upon case 1 which have the following problem field:
Problem Field – Case 1:
“How do we motivate people passing along Hærvejen or Fyrkat to take a detour to Mariager Fjord?”
Week 1: Fieldwork
During week 1, three methods came to our attention. These were as follows:
- Costumer Journey
- Auto ethnographic
- Video snippets
Costumer Journey
One of the biggest concerns in the preliminary work on the case, was the ability to gather information related to user habits. Fyrkat, the viking center south of Hobro, has two yearly periods where it’s open to the public- unfortunately during the three weeks of the U-CrAC workshop, the center was closed, which deducts the likeliness to meet visitors to be interviewed. Through this observation, the method of costumer journey was used to locate the different users of Hærvejen and Fyrkat, by investigated pre-service interactions, during-service interactions and post-service interactions.
In addition to the costumer journey, some questionnaires has further been prepared. These questionnaires were posted on Facebook pages related to Fyrkat and Hærvejen and the aim was to connect with people who have previously used in the area to provide some qualitative insight knowledge to be used in the design process.
Auto ethnographic
Auto ethnographic was used to evaluate the group’s own experience with the area, reflecting on the relationship between expectations and the actual experience. These reflections were used in the design process to locate sources of errors. Like the costumer journey, this was utilized due to the absence of actual users.
Video Snippets
During the visit to Mariager Fjord, some interviews were made with citizen in the area. These observations were used, as well as statements from the chief of the local tourist department, Mikkel Skovsbo, to determine the target audience.
Along the walk through the landscape we came across an elderly man who frequently uses of the area to exercising his interest in birds. By navigating to the top-most menu and clicking the tab “Konceptvideo”, you can see the edited interview.
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Week 2: Ideation
After aligning with the requestors on the observations made during the fieldwork as well as the problems identified, we were ready to generate project ideas. We found Storyboards and customer Journey very easy and efficient to visualize different ideas. By primary using these two methods, we came up with three predominant suggestions as to how we could solve the given problem.
The three suggestions:
- Making signs that shows paths and roads in the area and describing the opportunities in the area.
- Choose where the signs has to be placed in a strategically way.
- Make new paths and roads between Hyrkat and Hærvejen to Hobro Harbor to make it easier for the user to get back and forward.
To visualize some ideas of how these suggestions can be launched, we made some short video sketches showing different ways to achieve this.
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Week 3: Concept Development
The starting point of week 3 was the meeting with our requestor Anne Navrbjerg Monday morning. The ideas of concept and design developed during week 2 was presented and feedback was given as to which direction the project should move in the last week of the U-CrAc workshop. It was decided that the last dimension of direction of the project will be as follows:
- Designing different kinds of signs derived from the design manual provided by Mariager Fjord commune.
- Finding the best possible locations for the above-mentioned signs along the routes provided by both biologist Inger Taylor and the group.
- Create a connection between the names of the different routes leading the users from Fyrkat and Hærvejen to the fjord with the nature experiences to be had in the area – such as the Otter-route or the Mammoth-path or relating to Nordic Mythology – such as the Viking Journey or Bifrost.
- Creating “selfie-points” throughout the area of Mariager Fjord to enable the use of viral medias.
- Developing an interactive analog map consisting of a few switches and some electronic diodes. Pushing the switches will make a pattern of light on the map, guiding the tourists on the right path to the fjord.
Konceptvideo:
The FINAL Concept Video of Group 26!
An Interview with Nils:
A video snippet of an interview made near Hobro Harbor. The man in the video is Nils who is a senior citizen living in Hobro. His interests include taking pictures of the animals and the nature in the green areas at Hobro Harbor and Mariager Fjord. The elderly man is however not a tourist in the area, but due to lack of tourists in the offseason, he was questioned as we sought information on the people who use it on daily basis.
A little video showing one of the concept ideas
A video showing one of the concept ideas showing a video of a map. The map is interactive so that the user is able to push the buttons (blue and yellow) and see the paths and roads in the area. When the user presses the button, some electronic diods lights up and the paths and roads on the map shine through. This map was to be implemented, to provide some kind of interactive experience and platform for the visitors.
Videoskitser:
3 Video Sketches:
Sketch Reworked:
A short video sketch showing the tourist/user arriving at Fyrkat by car. At Fyrkat he sees an interesting sign and after taking a look at the sign he decides to go to Hobro Harbor. He jump in to the car and drives to Hobro Harbor.
Sketch 2:
A short video sketch showing the tourist/user bicycling on Hærvejen. When he is nearing Fyrkat by Hærvejen he sees an interesting sign and after taking a look at the sign he decides to go to Hobro Harbor. On the new route from Hærvejen to Horbro Harbor there are some signs directing him to Hobro Harbor and back to Hærvejen again.
Sketch 3:
A short video sketch showing the tourist/user visiting Fyrkat. From Fyrkat to Hobro Harbor there is free transport that will take him to Hobro Harbor and back again to Fyrkat when he want to.
The group worked effectively with Customer Journeys as an iterative process. The purpose was to establish whether some of the actors or touch-points could be changes or removed, to optimize the Customer Journey and create a better experience for the user.
During the fieldwork at Mariager Fjord, Fyrkat and Hobro Harbor, we focused on signs and how information and maps were communicated.
During the fieldwork it became clear that it was difficult to navigate around the area at Hærvejen and Hobro. The picture show some of the group members trying to navigate using a map.
The group is taking in the beautiful areas near Hobro Harbor. It is within these areas we want to direct the tourists/users by communicating the areas more efficiently.
During the fieldwork at Mariager Fjord, Fyrkat and Hobro Harbor, we focused on signs and how information and maps were communicated. This is some of the signs at Fyrkat.
The group members are working very hard on their project!!
Another picture of the beautiful areas near Hobro Harbor.
A picture of Fyrkat. We want to catch the tourists/users attention here and encourage them to visit the fjord and Hobro Harbor.
A picture of a stone sculpture near at Hobro Harbor.