i-do
The i-do project brings design teams from different countries together for a six week long summer workshop focused on a global design issue. Four students and one tutor from the top design schools and hotel programs in Hong Kong and The Netherlands will work on the following project.

Introduction
Developments especially in China have a great impact on the hospitality industry as the numbers of business travelers and tourists increase. Despite much negative environmental impact many more people are traveling worldwide and for diverse reasons. The changing demographics put new demands on the way hotel facilities and services are designed. This project will investigate the demands and devise new design concepts for the future.

Project 'hospitality'
The topic this year is focused on Hospitality: “The changing demographics for Hotel stay and how that might impact the design of the hotel accommodations and services”.

Workshop Outline
This year students will work in multi disciplinary teams during the six weeks summer workshop. It will take place in Hong Kong and China (three weeks) for an indepth research phase and The Netherlands (three weeks) for concept generation and development. There will be four groups of up to six students each working on the demographic defined and researched in first phase.

Timeline
Week 1: Project briefing, Team forming, Research planning, Sample testing (HK) Field trip to China, Observation (HK and China)
Week 2: User research, Analysis of insights, Conclusions (HK)                                    
Week 3: Creation of Personas and Scenarios, Design brief, project direction, interim presentation (HK)                         Week 4: Creativity sessions, Concept development (NL)
Week 5: Concept testing, User feedback, Design refinement and commercial production (NL)
Week 6: Final design report and commercial presentation to stakeholders (NL)

Deliverables
Students will prepare research reports, conduct user research, develop design strategy and propose design ideas for interiors, products and service culminating in a 5 minute multimedia commercial of the final concept (Flash or Director software are suggested) and a design report (.pdf).

Disclaimer
Each student must fully complete, sign and bring the disclaimer form (see attached) with them in order to participate in the project. No disclaimer form = no project.

University Presentations
Each university/department will make a short 10 minute presentation on their institution. Individual students will present a short portfolio. The purpose is to familiarize everyone with their background and design and work philosophy, ideas and plans.

Accommodation
HKPU will provide students and tutors with housing and a daily lunch. Participants will be responsible for their airfares to HK, travel insurance for duration of stay, visas (you should come in as a tourist/visitor to Hong Kong, dutch students do not need a visa for Hong Kong – but for China - see Mainland visa info below) and personal expenses. The residence is booked from June 1st through June 21st only; any additional nights are the student's responsibility and will be charged to them personally. Tutors are housed in single rooms. Student will share a room, two per room.

Travel and Health Insurance
Every visitor is required to purchase comprehensive travel and medical insurance for the duration of their visit.

China Trip
We will be going on a tour of three days to Shanghai China to document service systems and conduct ethnographic user research. HKPU will cover all food, lodgings and travel costs on the Mainland.

Mainland Visa
A Visa is required for non-Chinese passport holders. We recommend arranging visas in your home country as it will be less expensive; however, visas can be arranged in a day or two in Hong Kong. *Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of the visa.

Facilities
HKPU School of Design will provide class rooms, computer labs, access to workshops, support technicians and some model making materials for the project. Students are encouraged to bring laptops, digital cameras and any other personal design tools they may require.

Current
Voltage adaptors and converters are readily available in HK for all types of electronics. The voltage provided is 220V.

Cell phones
Check with your service provider for details of cell phone usage. Local prepaid SIM cards are easily purchasable at competitive rates at many places.

Student hosts
Each group will have a local HK student to act as host, guide, translator and to smooth over details.

Notes
All rights to any design or invention are property of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Technical University Delft (Agreement between the two universities). Some concepts may be chosen for further development to the prototype stage after the projects' conclusion. Participants may publish the results of the workshop for exhibitions and publications when deemed suitable and with appropriate recognition to the i-do workshop, the student team and SD. This is a non-credit bearing project taught in English. It is important that every participant is able to communicate fluently in English and is willing to work in multi-cultural group projects.

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