Design for Art and Leisure
Patrizia Marti , University of Siena, Italy

Session: Design & Evaluation: Evaluation Criteria

The paper is a reflection about the compelling yet difficult nature of design and evaluation of entertainment or edutainment systems. Such systems are not designed to help users perform work tasks or save time. They should encourage users to spend time and enjoy the interaction, and their ultimate mission is to engage the user and stimulate learning. The nature of this kind of systems imposes the definition of a theoretical and methodological policy of design which mediates between design visions and user needs. In the paper we describe the framework adopted to design and develop a tourist guide that transforms the user experience from one of consultation, whether with an audio guide, a multimedia kiosk, a CD ROM or even a book, to one of immersion in a rich information environment. The technology used allows to overlay multiple information structures over the physical world in a non intrusive fashion, opening up new possibilities for creative design. We believe that the success of the "new generation" systems for tourist applications, especially those exploiting advanced technologies, strongly relies on a design philosophy that mediates between a deep and continuos focus on the users and innovative design visions.

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