Kathy Pui Ying Lo holds a Bachelor of Social Science Degree in Journalism and Communication granted by Chinese University of Hong Kong. She received her Master of Arts in Design Degree with distinction from School of Design in The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Kathy has a cross-disciplinary career background in design and communication.

Having worked in the design profession since 1998, Kathy has accumulated extensive professional experience ranging from web and multimedia design to project planning, design team co-ordination, design training and business communications. Kathy was the manager of an interactive agency specialized in website interfaces, animation and online games. She worked on design projects for leading companies including Disney, Motorola, Peninsula Hotel and Singapore Airlines. Kathy was the instructor of corporate training workshops on design in previous appointments. She has also developed professional skill in communication by working in the mass media and public relations, specializing in editing and translation.

She joined the School of Design as a PhD candidate in 2005. Her main research interest is in experience design and emotion-oriented design. Apart from researching, she is also actively strengthening her teaching skill.

Research Title:
Emotional Design for Hotel Stay Experiences: Research on Guest Emotions and Design Opportunities

PhD Advisor:
Prof Lorraine Justice

Kathy's research study takes hospitality as the context in which guest emotions and design opportunities in relation to hotel stay experiences are studied. The core argument is that hotel stay experiences of travelers can be enhanced by the design of tangible elements and intangible processes that evoke positive emotions. Based on a synergy of knowledge in emotional design, experience design and hospitality, a conceptual model of emotional design for hotels is proposed to clarify the relationships between hotel offerings, design emphases, guest emotions and guest perception. Through experience-oriented research methods, this study explores sources that evoke guest emotions, uncovers concerns and meanings from the travelers' perspective, and identifies design opportunities which will lead to potential innovations for the enhancement of hotel stay experiences.

Publications:

Lo, K. P. Y. (2007). Emotional design for hotel stay experiences: Research on guest emotions and design opportunities. Paper presented at International Association of Societies of Design Research 2007: Emerging Trends in Design Research. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.

Lo, K. P. Y. (2005). Upstairs shops: Resistance against mundanity. In L. Gutierrez, V. Portefaix, & L. Ruggeri (Eds.), HK lab 2: An exploration of Hong Kong interior spaces (pp. 116-127). Hong Kong: Map Book Publishers