Abstract:

The aim of this conference paper focuses on the application of design thinking approach together with the adoption of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in the context of higher education. Design thinking is a human-centered approach to problem-solving and innovation through experimentation, collaboration, and creativity. Based on the design thinking methodology, in the Tourist Destination Marketing module of the Bachelor in Tourism Studies at the University of Valencia (Spain), a task was carried out in stages.

Specifically, the steps to guide the students were:
Step 1) Select your context and get organised about your team’s project plan. Students selected a tourist destination and justified their reasons for selection. To assist in the selection of the destination, a fact sheet was provided with the necessary indicators to establish a knowledge base about the destination to be analysed.
Step 2) Follow the design thinking process ‘discover, define, develop, and deliver’. A workshop was held to present the design thinking approach as well as the stages and dates of the task. The students identified a challenge for the destination.
Step 3) For the discovery phase, select the type of data collection that best serves your task. Students map out user experiences and define critical pain points (value losses) and pleasure points (value drivers), as well as missing/opportunity points. The students selected a buyer persona as well as the pain points.
Step 4) For the define phase, select prioritisation and/or decision tools.
Students identify:
a) what matters most/least to (target) users in terms of pain points/opportunities,
b) which user experience aspects are strategically most relevant for the service to be successful in the future, and
c) which ones might offer opportunities for achieving the destination challenge. Based on sessions on experience creation, the students made proposals for experiences.
Step 5) For the develop and delivery phase, students presented a prototype. We had two sessions for this step: one to encorage creativity with visual prototypes, and the second one with an elevator pitch.

After this stage, a self-assessment of the experiences was carried out among the different student teams. The feedback was shown in class. The different proposals were also evaluated using generative artificial intelligence.

In order to develop critical thinking among students, a session was held using Generative Artificial Intelligence, working on the design thinking process with the use of AI. The results of the assessment of the activity using AI and Design Thinking in the learning process will be presented at the conference.

Keywords:

Design thinking, generative AI, innovation.