7 ECTS; 1º Ano, Anual, 56,0 TP , Cód. 202911.
Lecturer
- João Pedro Tomaz Simões (1)(2)
(1) Lead Professor
(2) Teaching Professor
Prerequisites
N/A
Objectives
The unit trains students to conceive, curate and evaluate tourism experiences that articulate space, narrative and visitordestination interaction. It combines in situ case studies, co-creation with communities and prototyping with users, incorporating principles of sustainability, accessibility and ethics. Students learn to map resources and stakeholders, design routes and messages, define rules for responsible use and measure quality with light data collection and reading instruments (observation guides, feedback, simple indicators). The aim is a reflective and informed practice, capable of generating distinctive, feasible proposals with clear benefits for territories and audiences.
Program
1. Foundations of Experience Design
1.1 Key concepts in contemporary tourism; territoryproduct coherence
1.2 Experiential behaviour and service moments
2. Curation and Personalisation
2.1 Segmentation by motivations; co-creation with communities
2.2 Service design and journey maps
3. Narrative, Immersion and Sensoriality
3.1 Applied storytelling; evidence and messages per stop
3.2 Sensory devices, visit timing and rhythms
4. Sustainability, Ethics and Accessibility
4.1 Carrying capacity; rules for responsible use; consent and image
4.2 Communicational and physical inclusion; local benefits and authenticity
5. Evaluation and Improvement
5.1 Observation guides, short surveys and brief interviews
5.2 Simple quality indicators and reading data for decision-making
6. In Situ Case Studies and Prototyping
6.1 Fieldwork on Saturdays (8 h); user testing
6.2 Prototype iteration and feedback to communities
Evaluation Methodology
Continuous and applied assessment.
A1. Field Case Dossier (team) 40%: observation guide, stakeholder map, authorised records, territorial diagnosis and curation opportunities.
A2. Experience Prototype and Testing (team) 35%: route or experience design, interpretive narrative, accessibility, safety, budget, indicators and iteration after user testing. Minimum mark: 9.5.
A3. Individual Reflection 15%: brief portfolio on design decisions, evidence, limitations and the rationale for curatorial choices.
A4. Participation in studio sessions and fieldwork 10%: preparation, engagement, ethical conduct, collaboration and debriefings.
Duly justified inability to take part in fieldwork: individual alternative based on a documentary case study, replacing the field components with the same weighting.
Bibliography
- Chen, J. e Prebensen, N. e Uysal, M. (2018). Creating Experience Value in Tourism. Wallingford: CABI
- Jelincic, D. e Mansfeld, Y. (2019). Creating and Managing Experiences in Cultural Tourism. Singapore: World Scientific
- Pine II, B. e Gilmore, J. (2019). The Experience Economy: Competing for Customer Time, Attention, and Money. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press
Teaching Method
Studio sessions; in situ case studies; seminars with practitioners; prototyping and user testing; tutorials for preparation and feedback. Teaching centred on application and informed decision-making.
Software used in class
Miro; Canva; Google Forms or Microsoft Forms; Microsoft Excel; Mendeley; Google My Maps.
