Study Guide

Objective

The student understands the significance of designing tourism products and services as part of sustainable tourism business. He/she gains knowledge of future-oriented approaches when designing tourism products and services. In addition, he/she familiarises him/herself with sustainable high-end tourism products, circular economy and sustainable innovations. The student knows the key concepts of product and service design in tourism and has basic readiness to design both innovative and experiential products and services by using various design tools and methods. The student takes into consideration networking and sustainable chain management in designing process.

This study unit is interlinked with Sustainable Pricing and Profitability Planning.

Content

• Significance of product and service design as part of sustainable tourism business
• Future-oriented approaches to product and service design in tourism
• Key concepts and various tools related to designing products and services in tourism
o customer persona, experiential customer journey, prototyping, product cards for different use
• Circular economy and sustainable innovations in tourism
• Sustainable high-end tourism products
• Networks and sustainable chain management in tourism
• Practical sustainable design project commissioned by a tourism company/organisation

Location and time

Lapland UAS Rantavitikka Campus, Rovaniemi, Finland
Jan - March 2025

Materials

Lecture handouts

The learning materials will be published during the first day of the study unit.

Some examples of the learning materials: Naturbizz handbook (online), other handbooks and  journal articles related to sustainable service design and product development in tourism, nature and animal-based tourism material which are related to the commission from the tourism industry.

 

Teaching methods

The multi-method pedagogical approach includes versatile methods such as lectures, company visits, seminars and workshops and learning assignments. The specified timetable with the contents of the learning process of six to eight weeks is planned together with the working life and given at the beginning of the study unit. Tutoring and multi- stakeholder assessment of the learning process take place throughout the study unit according to the assessment criteria

Employer connections

Tourism industry based commission for the intensive week.

Exam schedules

Offline Exam in EXAM is in the end of week 6.
Re-examinations (if needed) are decided together with the students.

International connections

There are no direct international connections in this study unit.

Content scheduling

Theoretical Journey Weeks 3 - 6
Practical Journey Weeks 7 - 8
Reflection Journey Weeks 8 - 10

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

Satisfactory (2)
The student has a limited understanding of the significance of service and product design as part of sustainable tourism business. He/she has satisfactory knowledge of future-oriented approaches to tourism product and service design and related tools and methods. In addition, he/she has familiarised him/herself superficially in circular economy and sustainable innovations. The student has some difficulties in applying creative skills to generate innovative ideas in the design process based on the principles of responsible tourism business. The student participates in the contact lessons passively and shows vague analytical, reflective and critical approach in his/her activities. The assignments are completed but not always performed according to the instructions and deadlines.

Poor (1)
The student has a very limited understanding of the significance of service and product design as part of sustainable tourism business. He/she has vague knowledge of future-oriented approaches to tourism product and service design and related tools and methods. In addition, he/she has familiarised him/herself very superficially in circular economy and sustainable innovations. The student has major difficulties in applying creative skills to generate innovative ideas in the design process based on the principles of responsible tourism business. The student participates in the contact lessons very passively and shows no analytical, reflective and critical approach in his/her activities. The assignments are completed but not always performed according to the instructions and deadlines.

Fail (0)
The student does not complete the assignments according to the instructions or does not attend the learning situations at all. He/she does not pass the assignments and/or the exam as required.


These are the general assessment criteria. Please note that there might be more specific assessment criteria for learning assignments which will be given at the beginning of the study unit.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Very good (4)
The student understands very well the significance of service and product design as part of sustainable tourism business. He/she has very good knowledge of future-oriented approaches to tourism product and service design and related tools and methods. In addition, he/she has familiarised him/herself in circular economy and sustainable innovations very well. The student is mostly able to apply creative skills to generate innovative ideas in the design process based on the principles of responsible tourism business. The student participates in the contact lessons actively and shows analytical, reflective and critical approach in all his/her activities. All the assignments are performed according to the instructions and deadlines.

Good (3)
The student understands well the significance of service and product design as part of sustainable tourism business. He/she has good knowledge of future-oriented approaches to tourism product and service design and related tools and methods. In addition, he/she has familiarised him/herself in a good manner in circular economy and sustainable innovations. The student is mostly able to apply creative skills to generate innovative ideas in the design process based on the principles of responsible tourism business. The student participates in the contact lessons rather actively and shows somewhat analytical, reflective and critical approach in his/her activities. Most of the assignments are performed according to the instructions.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent (5)
The student fully understands the significance of service and product design as part of sustainable tourism business. He/she has profound knowledge of future-oriented approaches to tourism product and service design and related tools and methods. In addition, he/she has familiarised him/herself in circular economy and sustainable innovations in an excellent manner. The student is able to fully apply creative skills to generate innovative ideas in the design process based on the principles of responsible tourism business. The student participates in the contact lessons very actively and shows deep analytical, reflective and critical approach in all his/her activities. All the assignments are performed according to the instructions and deadlines.

Assessment methods and criteria

The assessment criteria introduced below are the general assessment criteria. Please note that there might be more specific assessment criteria for learning assignments which will be given at the beginning of the study unit

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

Fail (0)
The student does not complete the assignments according to the instructions or does not attend the learning situations at all. He/she does not pass the assignments and/or the exam as required.


.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

Poor (1)
The student has a very limited understanding of the significance of service and product design as part of sustainable tourism business. He/she has vague knowledge of future-oriented approaches to tourism product and service design and related tools and methods. In addition, he/she has familiarised him/herself very superficially in circular economy and sustainable innovations. The student has major difficulties in applying creative skills to generate innovative ideas in the design process based on the principles of responsible tourism business. The student participates in the contact lessons very passively and shows no analytical, reflective and critical approach in his/her activities. The assignments are completed but not always performed according to the instructions and deadlines.

Satisfactory (2)
The student has a limited understanding of the significance of service and product design as part of sustainable tourism business. He/she has satisfactory knowledge of future-oriented approaches to tourism product and service design and related tools and methods. In addition, he/she has familiarised him/herself superficially in circular economy and sustainable innovations. The student has some difficulties in applying creative skills to generate innovative ideas in the design process based on the principles of responsible tourism business. The student participates in the contact lessons passively and shows vague analytical, reflective and critical approach in his/her activities. The assignments are completed but not always performed according to the instructions and deadlines.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

Good (3)
The student understands well the significance of service and product design as part of sustainable tourism business. He/she has good knowledge of future-oriented approaches to tourism product and service design and related tools and methods. In addition, he/she has familiarised him/herself in a good manner in circular economy and sustainable innovations. The student is mostly able to apply creative skills to generate innovative ideas in the design process based on the principles of responsible tourism business. The student participates in the contact lessons rather actively and shows somewhat analytical, reflective and critical approach in his/her activities. Most of the assignments are performed according to the instructions.

Very good (4)
The student understands very well the significance of service and product design as part of sustainable tourism business. He/she has very good knowledge of future-oriented approaches to tourism product and service design and related tools and methods. In addition, he/she has familiarised him/herself in circular economy and sustainable innovations very well. The student is mostly able to apply creative skills to generate innovative ideas in the design process based on the principles of responsible tourism business. The student participates in the contact lessons actively and shows analytical, reflective and critical approach in all his/her activities. All the assignments are performed according to the instructions and deadlines.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent (5)
The student fully understands the significance of service and product design as part of sustainable tourism business. He/she has profound knowledge of future-oriented approaches to tourism product and service design and related tools and methods. In addition, he/she has familiarised him/herself in circular economy and sustainable innovations in an excellent manner. The student is able to fully apply creative skills to generate innovative ideas in the design process based on the principles of responsible tourism business. The student participates in the contact lessons very actively and shows deep analytical, reflective and critical approach in all his/her activities. All the assignments are performed according to the instructions and deadlines.