Activity 5

The goal of this activity is to design and implement a prototype of a Web-based Intelligent System (WBIS) to support the information management and knowledge sharing in the accessible tourism context, promoting the co-creation of tourism experiences. Based on the data collected through interviews, focus-groups and questionnaires administered and analysed in the previous activities (1-4), the intention is to identify the main functional requirements that may determine the content of the technological solution, as well as the non-functional requirements that may dictate the quality of technical requirements.

Given the characteristics of the phenomenon under study and the complexity of the domain, to inform the design and development process, it is important to capture user information and feedback, ideally at every stage of development, with inputs from everyone involved, as potential end-users and other stakeholders. As such, in this process, User-Centered Design (UCD) techniques are used, combined with Participatory Design (PD) methods, with the close involvement of stakeholders and end-users through cycles of requirements gathering, horizontal prototype development (mock-ups) and respective evaluation.

The purpose is to find a proper data model that maps the abstract solution of the WBIS, using the Unified Modelling Language (UML) notation for its representation. Additionally, and since it is an audience with particular characteristics, the intention is to conduct a study on Human-Computer Interaction models, to create adapted interfaces that will allow the interaction with everyone with special needs.

After completing the data model and the interaction model (the conceptual model), the development of the prototype will be carried out to test the WBIS concept in the context of accessible tourism. It should be noted that this activity will be conducted by three members of the team with thorough knowledge in the areas of Information Systems and Technologies and Human-Computer Interaction, health technologies for improving human functionality and members of the team with knowledge in the field of co-creation of tourism experiences for visitors with special needs. Moreover, a research assistant with a background in Information Systems and Technologies will be contracted to participate in all of this process.

At the end of this activity, there is expected to be a conceptual model representing the abstract solution, as well as a prototype of the WBIS integrating a new concept of cocreation in tourism experiences.