Designing online tool features to improve the forest experience for expatriate students in Finland

• Main Author: Bruce, Decirée
• Other Authors: Roto, Virpi, Taiteiden ja suunnittelun korkeakoulu, School of Arts, Design and Architecture, muo, Aalto University, Aalto-yliopisto
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: forest experience; user experience design; experience goals; recreational forest use; interaction design; forest vs. urban; taiga
• Online Access: https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/114864

Urbanization is globally rising, and a similar trend can be also seen locally in Finland. At the same time, there is more and more data about the various benefits of associating oneself with nature. If there will be fewer interactions with nature, it might impact our versatile connection with it. To know the impact, we need to investigate our connection with it now. It is interesting if experience design could offer solutions to support that connection. Finland is the most forestry country in Europe, with about ¾ of its land area covered in woods, so it would be interesting to know what the current experience of the Finnish forest is. In the field of design, there is not much existing information about the holistic forest experience. This study investigates through user experience design the experiences of forests by urbanized expatriate students who have had new opportunities to visit local taiga-type forests. The design problem that I solve is: What includes the forest experience of an expatriate student and how could the experience be upgraded? The study is showing light on the forest user experience as a whole and visualizes an experience journey. This thesis also presents a production component: a user experience design concept proposal for supportive interface functions for forest visits. While drawing insights from the forest experience study, I was able to set experience goals and present proper design implications. The interviews brought up that for this user group more knowledge is needed about forests before entering them. Therefore, I am focusing especially on the “before” part of the user journey in my design. As a solution, I present a design proposal as additional features to an existing online tool of an outdoor recreational information provider. The features would function as a tool that would deepen the forest experience, help to motivate and plan the trip, as well as gain knowledge. The design concept succeeded with users evaluating the design prototype and the features according to the ...