Research Article
Designing Virtual Guides’ Characteristics for Remote Tourism in the Arctic
@INPROCEEDINGS{10.1007/978-3-031-28993-4_17, author={Sanni Mustonen and Siiri Paananen and Jonna H\aa{}kkil\aa{}}, title={Designing Virtual Guides’ Characteristics for Remote Tourism in the Arctic}, proceedings={ArtsIT, Interactivity and Game Creation. 11th EAI International Conference, ArtsIT 2022, Faro, Portugal, November 21-22, 2022, Proceedings}, proceedings_a={ARTSIT}, year={2023}, month={4}, keywords={Virtual Characters Character Design User Experience Remote Tourism Cultural Heritage}, doi={10.1007/978-3-031-28993-4_17} }- Sanni Mustonen
Siiri Paananen
Jonna Häkkilä
Year: 2023
Designing Virtual Guides’ Characteristics for Remote Tourism in the Arctic
ARTSIT
Springer
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-28993-4_17
Abstract
The paper investigates the design of virtual guide characters in the context of remote tourism, focusing on their appearance, characteristics, and effects on the user experience. We created four virtual guide characters for an Arctic tourism context and evaluated them with 15 participants with a design background. In addition, the participants created their own virtual guide character designs by sketching and writing descriptions. The salient findings highlight e.g. that in the virtual guide’s design, the personality, local features, and historical authenticity matter for the user experience. However, local stereotypes provoke mixed feelings depending on the audience, and the diverse aspects of design should be paid attention to. The work contributes towards designing remote and more sustainable tourism experiences in the future.
